Telangana registers 40% excess rain during monsoon for second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, Telangana has received nearly 40% excess rainfall this south-west monsoon season which ended on Thursday, officials said on Friday.  

According to the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS), the normal average rainfall in the state during the monsoon that commences on June 1 and ends on September 30 is 720.5 mm. But this year, the state received an average rainfall of 1009.7 mm, which is 40% more than the normal, a bulletin from the society said.

Out of 122 days of monsoon season, there were rains across the state for as many as 105 days. 'This is only for the third time in the last 15 years that the state witnessed such abnormally high rainfall during the season. However, the rainfall last year was the highest - it was 46% more than the normal,' an official in TSDPS said.

Out of 33 districts, six - Nizamabad, Warangal (urban), Karimnagar, Rajanna Siricilla, Siddipet and Narayanpet - received abnormally excess rainfall, ranging from 63% to 94%. Another six districts - Mancherial, Peddapalli, Jogulamba Gadwal, Nagarkurnool, Suryapet and Mulugu -- received normal rainfall.

'All the remaining 21 districts received excess rainfall, ranging from 26% to 51%,' the official said.

Except for a few days of dry spell in August, the rest



of the season witnessed heavy rainfall due to active south-west monsoon and also impact of Cyclone Gulab. The entire July and as many as 28 days in September received heavy rains.

'Some parts of the state witnessed 12 cm to 21 cm of rain in a span of 24 hours, which is a rare phenomenon. Such a huge rainfall was recorded for a period of 33 days this season,' he said.

Telangana continues to witness rains despite the ending of south-west monsoon on Thursday. 'The monsoon continues to be active and it is likely that the state will witness widespread rains till October 15,' Hyderabad meteorological department director K Nagaratna said.

Due to continuous rainfall, all major reservoirs on Krishna and Godavari rivers continue to receive huge inflows up to their brim. Srisailam reservoir on Krishna river received an inflow of 71,000 cusecs by Friday evening and the irrigation authorities are letting out 75,000 cusecs to the downstream, as the water level in the reservoir reached 883.76 ft as against the full reservoir level of 885 ft.

Nagarjunasagar dam is receiving an inflow of 97,000 cusecs and the authorities are releasing the same quantity of water to the downstream.

All the reservoirs in Godavari basin are full and the irrigation department are letting out the heavy inflows into the sea.