Odisha records 18 pc deficit rainfall in August

Bhubaneswar: As Odisha recorded 18 per cent deficit rainfall in August, at least four districts appear to be heading towards a drought-like situation. The IMD though forecast rainfall in the State in the coming days. The IMD said the rainfall activity in Odisha is likely to increase with the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal around September 3 and it may intensify into a low pressure area during the subsequent 48 hours.

However, experts in the Agriculture department fear that the situation in Nabarangpur, Kendrapara, Kalahandi and Ganjam districts may not improve much as they recorded minus 42 per cent, minus 38 per cent, minus 37 per cent and minus 35 per cent deficit rainfall respectively. The State has from June 1 to September 1 recorded minus 15 per cent deficit rainfall, IMD sources said. Of the 30 districts in the State, 18 districts received normal rainfall while 12 others recorded deficit precipitations.

"Odisha has received the lowest rainfall in August this time in the last 122 years. The State reported 299.9 mm rainfall during the month against the average of 363.8 mm," an official at Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said. Weather scientist Umasankar Das said of the total rainfall in August, 219.6 mm was recorded in seven days of the month. Most of the rainfall activity occurred between August 1 and 3 and on 18, 19, 24 and 25. The districts which have received deficit rainfall were: Nabarangpur, Kendrapara, Kalahandi, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Balasore.

"We do not expect the September rainfall could help improve the rainfall deficit situation in at least four districts," said an Agriculture department expert. The government has been preparing a contingency plan to overcome the crisis, he added.

As the southwest monsoon remained subdued during most of August, the State also witnessed hot and humid conditions. Odisha has received 784.9 mm rainfall between June 1 and September 1, which is around 15 per cent less than its average during the period. Meanwhile, The IMD on Friday said under the influence of the low pressure area,fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall activity is likely over Odisha from September 2 to 5.