The heavy rains in State in the aftermath of super cyclone ‘Phailin’ last month and a bountiful monsoon earlier have considerably recharged groundwater table.
According to reports received by the groundwater department from twelve districts, the rise in table in Hyderabad was 18.64 feet (ft) compared to peak summer in May when most borewells went dry and 1.68 ft compared to October last year.
The table rose as much as 31.87 ft when compared to May and 12.04 ft against October last year in Medak district.
Except Nellore, Krishna, East and West Godavari districts, the levels for October in coastal and Rayalaseema districts were not received on account of strike by staff against bifurcation of State. The rise was the least in Nellore at just .46 ft in comparison to summer.
The improvement in table from summer in other districts was: Krishna – 12.87 ft; East Godavari – 10.75 ft; West Godavari – 10.32 ft; Mahabubnagar – 19.89 ft; Ranga Reddy – 24.78 ft; Nizamabad – 19.10 ft; Adilabad – 29.83 ft; Warangal – 19.07 ft and Khammam – 14.25 ft.
Average rainfall
The State had received an average rainfall of 260 mm last month which was over 65 per cent in excess of normal. The crop damage was estimated at 11.37 lakh hectares, including paddy (4.99 lakh hectares) and cotton (6.47 lakh hectares).
