Southwest monsoon rainfall in Karnataka is second lowest in 70 years and seventh lowest in 125 years
The year 2002, which had the lowest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1956, had received just 10 mm less than 2026
Karnataka experienced the second lowest southwest monsoon rainfall in the past 70 years, and the seventh lowest in the past 125 years, according to recent data. The year 2002, which had the lowest southwest monsoon rainfall since 1956, received 10 mm more than 2026. This year, Karnataka received only 551 mm of rainfall during the southwest monsoon period from June to September, which is 35% less than the normal rainfall of 852 mm.
The severity of the drought is evident as 41% of the State's regions are facing a cumulative rainfall deficit, with South Interior Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka experiencing the highest deficits of 42% and 38%, respectively. As of now, 217 taluks have been declared drought-hit, and this number is expected to rise with ongoing ground-truthing exercises in the remaining 23 taluks.
Karnataka, which is highly prone to drought, relies heavily on the southwest monsoon that accounts for about 74% of the calendar year rainfall. The agriculture sector is significantly impacted, with the sowing coverage for the kharif season falling short of the target due to poor rains, leading to substantial crop losses. The total crop losses in 201 taluks have been estimated to be around ₹46,000 crore, and the impact is expected to grow as more taluks are assessed.
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