Karnataka had 23% more rainfall in southwest monsoon: IMD

The four-month southwest monsoon from June to September was generous to Karnataka, with 23 per cent more rainfall than normal, an IMD official said on Tuesday.

"Karnataka had 103.2 cm rainfall during the four-month southwest monsoon from June-September, which is a 23 per cent excess or departure from 84.7 cm normal," the official told IANS here.

Though the monsoon delayed setting in during June and played truant for 2-3 weeks, it gathered momentum from mid-July and remained in full swing during August, resulting in floods across the coastal, central and northwest region of the southern state.

Region-wise, coastal areas recorded 22 per cent excess and north interior parts 23 per cent above normal.

"Belagavi district in the northwest recorded 89 per cent above the 108.3 cm normal during the last four months," the official said.

South interior areas also witnessed 23 per cent above normal, with Mysuru recording 67 per cent above the 61.3 cm normal.

Similarly, Haveri district in north interior region had a record 76.9 cm rain, which is 52 per cent over the normal 50.7 cm during the period.

"Rainfall, however, was less than normal in eight of the 30 districts across the state despite being excess in two-thirds of the state" the official said.

The nine rain-deficit districts are Bidar, Raichur, Vijayapura and Yadgir in the northern region, and Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Chikaballapura, Kolar and Ramnagara in the southern region.IANS