National

Kerala, coastal Karnataka may get more rain

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorology Department on Thursday forecast a subdued rainfall activity over central, west and peninsular India, and increased activity in Kerala, Lakshadweep, coastal Karnataka, the northeast, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar during the next one week.

In other words, water scarcity is likely to worsen in Andhra Pradesh, interior Karnataka, interior Maharashtra, Gujarat and west Rajasthan.

The forecast comes in the wake of a recent analysis, which shows that the monsoon trough at mean sea level, especially the eastern end, is likely to continue to lie along the foothills of the Himalayas during the next one week.

So far, rainfall has been particularly poor in the Marathwada sub-division. As on July 15, it registered minus 64 per cent from normal. This was followed by Rayalaseema (minus 49 per cent), north interior Karnataka (minus 48 per cent), Kerala (minus 44 per cent), Vidarbha (minus 34 per cent), coastal Andhra Pradesh (minus 32 per cent), Telangana (minus 31 per cent), south interior Karnataka (minus 29 per cent), and Assam and Meghalaya (minus 28 per cent).

The three sub-divisions of Lakshadweep; Gujarat; and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura have recorded a deficiency of minus 21 per cent each.

In the next one week, out of these 14 deficient sub-divisions, the situation is likely to improve in Kerala; coastal Karnataka; Laskhadweep; Assam and Meghalaya; and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, and deteriorate in Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and north interior Karnataka.

No significant change is likely in the remaining two sub-divisions of Rayalaseema, and south interior Karnataka.

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