As less than a month of this year’s monsoon season remains, drought threat has started looming large over half the districts of the state following scanty rainfall this year. Twenty five districts out of 51 are staring at drought ahead. The districts which have deficit rainfall till date since June 1 cannot recover despite current rainy trend across the state.
The state has recorded 580.4 mm so far while its normal rainfall is 726mm till August. According to meteorological department, Bhopal has deficit (-309mm), Dhar (-139mm), Shajapur (-342mm), Sidhi(-100mm), Satna(-121mm), Umaria(-290mm), Chhindwara(-240mm), Jabalpur(-152mm), Mandla(-376mm), Narsingpur(-230mm), Khajuraho(-116mm), Naogaon(-253mm), Sagar(-315mm), Tikamgarh(-286mm), Damoh (-365mm), Sheopurkalan(-374mm), Datia(-371mm), Guna(-246mm), Shivpuri(-328mm), Betul(-314mm), Malajkhand(-90mm), Khargone(-60mm), Raisen (-83mm) and Ujjain(-81mm).
Earlier, rain continued to lash Bhopal on third consecutive day on Monday. Warning has been issued for heavy rainfall at isolated places including Indore, Ujjain and Hoshangabad divisions and Sehore, Raisen, Rajgarh and Bhopal districts. Weathermen have already clarified the status attributing it to localised moisture and nothing else as there is no major system working over Madhya Pradesh and nearby states.
Meteorological department public relation officer Dr GD Mishra said, “Still we are hopeful as there is September and the districts which are reeling deficit rainfall, will recover. It is quite premature to predict about drought in most the districts in the state.”
Few dists enjoy windfall
Good rainfall recorded in the districts includes Guna which has received 11 cm rainfall, while Manawar received 10cm and Gandwani recorded 9cm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Similarly, Raisen recorded 8cm, Mhow 7cm, Sailana 6cm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Five-centimeter rainfall has been recorded at various places including Bhander, Badnagar, Sonkakch, Ratlam, Kukshi, Panna, Nagod.
