People in different parts of Karnataka – especially coastal and Malnad regions – are expected to get some respite from the heavy downpour, as the rainfall is forecast to subside in the next few days.
According to the forecast released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday, rainfall intensity will reduce in Bengaluru and other districts of South Interior Karnataka. While the rainfall will be fairly widespread till Monday, the forecast says that rainfall will be scattered for the next five days. In the coastal areas, widespread rainfall will continue, albeit at a reduced intensity.
Although the state has overall received normal rainfall this monsoon, South Interior Karnataka districts are facing a deficit. The overall deficit in the region is 23 per cent between June 1 and July 5, receiving 57 mm against a normal of 74 mm. For Bengaluru Urban, the deficit is 31 per cent, with the city receiving 54 mm against a normal of 69 mm. In contrast, the city had received more than double the normal rainfall during the pre-monsoon period between March 1 and May 31.
In Karnataka, four districts have received excess rainfall (20 per cent or more than normal), 14 have normal rainfall, and 13 districts have deficit (20 per cent or more less than normal) rainfall.
Due to heavy pre-monsoon showers, reservoirs in Southern Karnataka had reached full capacity. Outflows from dams, especially the Krishnarajasagar (KRS) Dam, were increased due to the same. It can be recalled that the dam reached full capacity in June itself, for the very first time this year. Currently, water storage at the dam is 47.63 TMC against a full capacity of 49.45 TMC. On the same date last year, the water level at the dam was 23.05 TMC.
Dams across the River Krishna in North Karnataka continued to receive heavy inflows. At Almatti in Bagalkot district, the inflow was around 1.02 lakh cusecs per day. Current storage in the dam was 87.74 TMC, compared to 48.98 TMC on the same date last year.
