Karnataka is bracing itself for another spell of heavy rainfall, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting heavy to very heavy rain over the next three days in many parts of the state. For coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka, it has sent out alerts for heavy rain, and the weather department has issued enhanced alerts for coastal Karnataka.
According to the latest IMD warning, Coastal Karnataka is forecast to experience very heavy rain on September 23, and extremely heavy rain on September 24, and South Interior Karnataka is also expected to see very heavy rainfall during this time. North Interior Karnataka has also been warned of very heavy rain on September 23. Rain is also expected to be heavy through September 25 before the situation starts to ease.
The weather warning comes at a time when Karnataka is already experiencing a significant rainfall shortage during September. The state has seen below-normal rainfall during several months of the ongoing monsoon season, raising concerns over water availability, agriculture and reservoir levels. The expected spell of rain could provide some relief to parts of the state, but the extent of improvement will depend on the intensity and distribution of rainfall.
September Rainfall Deficit Raises Concern
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) data cited in the source, September had the highest rainfall deficit among the recent monsoon months. The state has so far recorded a 67% rainfall deficit in September.
As compared to the normal September rainfall of around 107 mm, Karnataka has received only about 35 mm during the period covered by the data. The shortage follows deficient rainfall in the previous monsoon months as well.
In June, Karnataka received around 116 mm of rain compared to the normal 199 mm, representing a 42% deficit. In July, around 192 mm fell against the normal 271 mm, resulting in a 29% deficit. In August, the state received about 169 mm compared to the normal 220 mm, resulting in a 23% deficit.
The consecutive rainfall shortages have put pressure on water resources in various parts of Karnataka. The heavy rains in the near future might alleviate the situation in some catchments, but one or two spells of rain may not cover up the deficit.
KRS Water Storage Is Still Below Last Year's Level
The impact of the deficient monsoon can be seen in reservoir storage levels. The Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir in Karnataka had around 27.76 TMC of water on September 21, according to the figures provided in the source.
The corresponding figure on the same date last year was significantly higher at 47.73 TMC. The difference highlights the pressure on one of the state's important reservoirs, particularly in the Cauvery basin.
KRS plays a vital role in water supply in and around Bengaluru and parts of southern Karnataka. So reservoir storage levels remain a key indicator during an uneven rainfall season.
North Karnataka Reservoirs In Relatively Better Position
The situation is somewhat different in northern Karnataka, where some major reservoirs continue to hold relatively higher volumes of water.
The Almatti reservoir, one of North Karnataka’s largest reservoirs, had around 115 TMC of water as of September 21. On the same date last year, the reservoir had around 123 TMC.
Although the storage is lower than last year's, the difference is much smaller than at KRS. This demonstrates the different impacts of the rainfall deficit on different parts of the state.
Heavy Rain Could Bring Relief But Also Risks
This rainfall spell could also provide much-needed relief to agricultural areas and replenish some water bodies and reservoirs. But heavy rainfall within a short time span can also produce problems like urban flooding, waterlogging, landslides and road traffic jams.
Coastal Karnataka is expected to suffer particularly heavy rainfall. The IMD already predicted extremely heavy rain for the region on September 24. The coastal weather bulletin has also predicted widespread rain or thunderstorms along the Karnataka coast and possibly poor visibility during heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Bengaluru and other parts of South Interior Karnataka residents may also have to remain alert as heavy rainfall could affect traffic movement, low-lying areas and vulnerable roads.
With Karnataka now heading towards another wet spell after months of drought, the next few days will be closely watched. Although the rainfall might help with the water pressure, the distribution of rain across districts will determine the magnitude of relief for the state in the long run.
Experts and residents in vulnerable areas should follow IMD and district administration updates, particularly in the areas with higher rainfall warnings.
