KOLHAPUR: Around 50% of the Kolhapur district has received less than 25% of the actual rainfall in the first two weeks of June.
With monsoon yet to tighten its grip in the region, the district, which reports excess rainfall every year, is witnessing rainfall deficiency for the first time in recent years.
Places in the rest of the district are also rain deficient as they have received rainfall between 25% and 50% in comparison to the actual rainfall. The severely rain deficient tehsils are from the ghat sections aligning with the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Same is the case for Satara district where the two hilly tehsils of Patan and Mahabaleshwar have so far received less than 25% showers.
The tehsils in Kolhapur district that have received less than 25% rainfall are Panhala, Gaganbawda, Radhanagari, Bhudargad, Ajara and Chandgad.
According to the data obtained, Panhala teshil has received 26 mm rainfall since June 1. During the same period last year, it had received 134 mm rainfall.
Similarly, Gaganbawda, the tehsil which receives record rainfall every monsoon, has so far received only 33 mm rainfall. Last year, during the same period the figure stood at 463 mm. Radhanagari has received 11 mm rainfall in comparison to 288 mm showers last year, while Bhudargad has received 27 mm rains in comparison to last year’s 148 mm.
Last year, Ajara had received 169 mm rainfall, but now it has got only 2.5 mm rain. For Chandgad, this year’s figure is at 37 mm as compared to previous year’s 246 mm.
Weather expert Shantanu Patil said, “The sea surface is not heating up and other factors are also not coming to force to bring an adequate situation for the downpour. As per IMD, the monsoon will tighten its grip after June 17, till then a dry spell in on the cards.”
