The drought-prone district of Prakasam experienced incessant rain under the influence of a weather system in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, ending the nearly month-long dry spell in August.
The coastal mandals in the district witnessed widespread showers during the fag-end of the month as a low pressure area developed over Bay of Bengal off south Odisha-north Andhra coast. The wet spell brought cheers to farmers who were keeping their fingers crossed after sowing rain-fed crops as the district registered 12% deficient rainfall so far this month. The wet spell will continue in the district for the next 48 hours, according India Meteorological Department sources.
Motor cyclists, however, had a tough time navigating the roads as drains in different places including Lawyerpeta, Santhapeta, Pragati colony and Balaram colony in Ongole overflowed following the heavy downpour for over three hours. The current spell of rains would lead to improvement in the crop coverage from the present 49% of the normal sown area of 2.12 lakh hectares during kharif season, according to Agriculture Joint Director Srinivasa Rao.
Pamur registered a maximum rainfall of 102 mm during the period followed by Inkollu(79.4 mm), J.Pangalur (65mm), C.S.Puram (57 mm), P.C.Palli(53-2 mm), Yadanapalli(41.2 mm), Mundlamur(40.4mm) Martur(40.2 mm), Korisapadu (39.2 mm), Tangutur(39 mm), Maddipadu (36 mm) and Kothapatnam (34.2 mm).
