20 percent rain deficit in Mangaluru Taluk; identified as drought-prone

Mangaluru: The coastal region which usually receives copious rainfall during the Monsoon is seeing a significant deficit in rain this year. At the moment there is no rain forecast in the coast.

Meanwhile, the state government has compiled a list of taluk that are facing deficit rainfall potentially facing drought. Alarmingly, Mangaluru also is mentioned in the list.

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) compiled the list based on several criteria including the rainfall data from June 1 till August 19, three consecutive weeks or more of dry weather, moisture deficit, groundwater level index, water storage in reservoirs, and water flow in rivers. As many as 113 taluks of the state are staring at a drought.

As per the report, Mangaluru taluk of Dakshina Kannada has gotten 20 percent less rainfall this year. KSNDMC has identified it as a moderate rain deficit taluk.

Although other taluks of Dakshina Kannada have also recorded deficit rainfall, only Mangaluru has been mentioned in the list of drought-prone taluks.

At present eight taluks of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district are experiencing severe rain deficiency. the deficiency stands at 40 percent in Belthangadi Taluk,  24 percent in Bantwal, 20 percent deficiency inMangaluru, 37 percent in Puttr, 33 percent in Kadaba, 22 percent in Karkala, 21 percent in Brahmavar, 39 percent in Hebri. These taluks have been identified as ‘severe rain deficit’ taluks.

Similarly, there is a rain deficit of 18 percent in Sullia, 11 percent in Moodabidri, 15 percent in Mulki, 16 percent in Ullal, 8 percent in Kundapura, 14 percent in Udupi, 16 percent in Byndoor, and 9 percent in Kaup Taluks. They have been marked as ‘Moderate rainfall deficit’ taluks.