Odisha receives 12.9% surplus rainfall this monsoon

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has recorded cumulative rainfall of 1292.2 mm against the long-term average (LTA) of 1144.3 mm which is a surplus of 12.9 per cent between the months of June to September in the monsoon season.

Odisha got average rainfall of 300.1 mm against the LTA of 231.9 mm registering a surplus of 29.4% in September.

As many as eleven districts have received surplus rainfall more than 19 per cent during the period from June 1 to September end, said a statement from the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC).

The districts are Kalahandi, Puri, Malkangiri, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Koraput and Rayagada.

The remaining 19 districts received normal rainfall (+ 19 per cent to – 19 per cent) during the period.

Malkanagiri district has recorded the highest rainfall of 2074.2 mm with a 44.9 per cent surplus while Nayagarh district has received the lowest cumulative rainfall of 950.0 mm which was 5.7 per cent deficit during the period, the statement said.

Going by the block-wise rainfall data, 112 blocks have received surplus rainfall of more than 19 per cent, while 171 blocks received normal rainfall (+19 per cent to -19 per cent).

27 blocks received deficit rainfall (shortfall of 19 per cent up to 39 per cent) and 4 blocks received severe deficit rainfall (shortfall of 39 per cent up to 59 per cent) during June, July, August and September cumulatively.

There were total 50.0 rainy days during June to September against the normal average of 52.4 rainy days with 8.1 rainy days in June, 15.6 rainy days in July, 15.9 in August and 10.4 rainy days in September 2018, the statement said.