21% rainfall deficit in Karnataka despite heavy showers over past week
Despite a week of heavy rain in Karnataka, the state is still facing a 21% rainfall deficit. While the downpours have marginally raised water levels in major reservoirs, all districts have recorded below-normal precipitation since the monsoon season began on June 1. Bengaluru Urban leads the list, with a 34% rainfall shortfall, receiving just 127 mm of rain compared to the normal of 197 mm for the period.
Other severely impacted areas include Vijayanagara (58% deficit), Mysuru (51%), Chamarajanagar (47%), Kolar (42%), and Ballari (41%).
The Malnad districts, crucial water catchment areas for major state rivers, have also seen a 31-34% rainfall reduction. The Krishnarajasagara (KRS) dam, a focal point in the Cauvery crisis, currently holds a gross storage of 30.4 TMC, significantly lower than the 48.92 TMC recorded on the same day last year. Water levels in other dams in the Cauvery basin, including Harangi, Hemavathi, and Kabini, have also improved.
However, the Kabini dam remains nearly full, with authorities maintaining an outflow of 12,000 cusecs to prevent overflow. Similarly, dams along the Krishna River in North Karnataka, like Almatti, are experiencing better water levels following the recent rains.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
