Coastal districts in the State have received near-normal rainfall from June 1 to August 10.
According to the latest report of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell (KSNDMC), Dakshina Kannada received 2 per cent more rain than the weighted average for the period while Udupi district received 6 per cent more. Rainfall in Uttara Kannada, however, was 2 per cent less than the weighted average. During the period, the State received 3 per cent less rain than the weighted average.
A few of the taluks in Uttara Kannada received less rainfall. Haliyal and Kumta taluks recorded a deficit of 19 per cent each over the normal weighted averaged rainfall, followed by Mundgod (18 per cent less than average or -18), Ankola (-14 per cent), and Yellapur (-11 per cent).
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All the three taluks of Udupi registered surplus rainfall compared to weighted average – Udupi (1 per cent), Kundapur (5 per cent) and Karkala (11 per cent).
In case of Dakshina Kannada, Sullia received a bumper 16 per cent more rainfall than the weighted average while Puttur matched the average rainfall.
Belthangady taluk also recorded surplus rainfall of three per cent. In Bantwal and Mangalore taluks, rainfall was 3 and 4 per cent less than the weighted average, respectively.
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The assessment of rainfall by KSNDMC appears to be at variance with the data of the meteorological centre in Bangalore. The centre reported on Friday that rainfall in Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada was normal while in Udupi district, it was excess by 24 per cent.
Agriculture brisk
Agriculture officials in Dakshina Kannada are happy that rainfall in the district has been well spread and paddy transplantation has been progressing well. Sources in the department told The Hindu that as on Monday, 32,016 hectares of land had been covered against the target of 34,000 hectares for khariff season.
This accounted for 94 per cent of the target. By this time last year, the progress was 31,747 hectares, a tad less than this year's achievement.
On the flip side, over 250 houses have been damaged in the district since April this year in rain-related incidents and crops worth Rs. 5.75 lakh damaged.
By Friday, six persons lost their lives and 11 were injured, according to sources in the district administration. On July 18, the administration estimated the total rain-related damage at Rs. 21.70 crore.
This included the damage to 392 km of roads, estimated at Rs. 17.07 crore. As many as 56 bridges and drains have been damaged and the loss has been estimated at Rs. 1.61 crore. The loss to private property has been estimated at Rs. 24.30 lakh.