August shower brings down deficit to 1.2 per cent in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Heavy showers in most of the districts in August have brought down the State’s rain deficit to just 1.2 per cent. The State received 24.5 per cent surplus rainfall in August with an average of 443.3 mm against the normal of 356 mm. Similarly, cumulative rainfall in the State between June 1 and August 31 stood at 901 mm against the normal of 912.4 mm.

The highest rainfall of 1,548.7 mm was recorded in Malkangiri district during the period while Gajapati received the lowest at 616.6 mm. According to the office of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), 21 districts experienced a normal monsoon while five received surplus rainfall. Four districts got deficit rainfall.  

While rainfall was normal in Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Cuttack and Puri districts between June 1 and August 31, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balangir and Jharsuguda received surplus rains of more than 19 per cent. Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Angul and Deogarh recorded deficit rainfall of 19 per cent to 39 per cent during the period.

The SRC office put the number of rainy days in the last three months at 35.7 days which was less than the average of 40.9. There were 7.4 rainy days in June, 13.7 in July and 14.6 in August. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that Odisha may experience more low pressure-induced rains in September.  Director of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar HR Biswas said the State may witness heavy rainfall on September 2 and 3 as a low-pressure area is expected to develop over north and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal in next 48 hours.