With the State receiving 36 per cent deficit rainfall this year, the net fall in the average groundwater level has been 2.66 metres across the State and 5.10 m in Rayalaseema region as compared to the levels of last year.
During 2014-15 up to Wednesday, the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam have received normal rainfall while the remaining 10 districts had deficit rainfall. Coastal Andhra region received 34 per cent deficit, while it was four per cent excess during the same period last year. As a result, there was a net fall of 1.57 m in ground water levels in the region.
As against seven per cent deficit the previous year, the Rayalaseema region recorded 43 per cent deficit this year, resulting in a net fall of 5.10 m.
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According to a release from the Groundwater Department, the deficit rainfall resulted in drying up of seasonal wells and decrease in well yields in Rayalaseema districts, Prakasam and upland areas of other districts.