Ahmedabad: Cloudy weather is confusing Gujarat The state is battling a heavy rainfall deficit of 44%, the second worst after Manipur, which has recorded a rain deficit of 57% till 9 August.
According to the data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday, the country is facing 5% deficit of seasonal rainfall so far.
According to the data, Gujarat has received 252.5 mm of rain from June 1 to August 9 against the normal average of 450.7 mm. In the Central India region, Odisha is the only other state with 28% rainfall deficit, while Maharashtra has 10% and Goa has 7% above average rainfall.
To put the figure in perspective, as per GSDMA data, Gujarat had received 449.3 mm of rain till August 9 last year. This year the figure is 304.7 mm.
IMD, Gujarat chief Manorama Mohanty said that 44 per cent less rainfall has been recorded in the state. “Gujarat has received only three good rains in two months. In June, the state got one spell and in July we got only two spells instead of the traditional four. August has also remained dry so far and there is no system in place that will give chances of rain this week.
He said that one can expect revival of monsoon after August 15, for which any forecast can be made only at a later date.
Meanwhile, farmers across the state are facing hardships as the rains continue to wreak havoc. Bharat Choudhary of Chhappiya village in Banaskantha said he has sown cotton and groundnut in his land, but there is a possibility of crop loss as it has rained only once.
“We are in dire need of rain, otherwise the crop will be spoiled. With not much water in the local wells also, the situation may soon turn dire,” Chowdhury said.
In Saurashtra too, any crop loss due to lack of rain is top of the mind of farmers. Wakmat Pithia, a farmer of Moti Dhanej village Junagadh If it doesn’t rain by next week, there won’t be enough groundnuts to feed the cattle, he said.
“The ground has dried up and the groundnut crop is drying up. The sky doesn’t promise anything,” Pithia said.
According to the data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday, the country is facing 5% deficit of seasonal rainfall so far.
According to the data, Gujarat has received 252.5 mm of rain from June 1 to August 9 against the normal average of 450.7 mm. In the Central India region, Odisha is the only other state with 28% rainfall deficit, while Maharashtra has 10% and Goa has 7% above average rainfall.
To put the figure in perspective, as per GSDMA data, Gujarat had received 449.3 mm of rain till August 9 last year. This year the figure is 304.7 mm.
IMD, Gujarat chief Manorama Mohanty said that 44 per cent less rainfall has been recorded in the state. “Gujarat has received only three good rains in two months. In June, the state got one spell and in July we got only two spells instead of the traditional four. August has also remained dry so far and there is no system in place that will give chances of rain this week.
He said that one can expect revival of monsoon after August 15, for which any forecast can be made only at a later date.
Meanwhile, farmers across the state are facing hardships as the rains continue to wreak havoc. Bharat Choudhary of Chhappiya village in Banaskantha said he has sown cotton and groundnut in his land, but there is a possibility of crop loss as it has rained only once.
“We are in dire need of rain, otherwise the crop will be spoiled. With not much water in the local wells also, the situation may soon turn dire,” Chowdhury said.
In Saurashtra too, any crop loss due to lack of rain is top of the mind of farmers. Wakmat Pithia, a farmer of Moti Dhanej village Junagadh If it doesn’t rain by next week, there won’t be enough groundnuts to feed the cattle, he said.
“The ground has dried up and the groundnut crop is drying up. The sky doesn’t promise anything,” Pithia said.
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