Kolhapur’s heavy rainfall tehsils 60% rain deficient

Kolhapur: The Kolhapur district tehsils that usually receive heavy rainfall — Radhanagari, Chandgad, Gagan Bawda, Ajara — are rain deficient this year as they have got only between 40% and 50% of the average showers.
Radhanagari tehsil, which is known for heavy rains, has received only 35% of its normal rainfall. And according to experts, if the rain pattern continues to remain the same, then next year Kolhapur is likely to witness a drought-like situation.
So far in August, the district has received only 130mm rainfall, while from June the total amount of showers reported across the district stands at 825mm. The average normal rainfall for Kolhapur till August is 1,503 mm, while in the corresponding period last year the district had received 1,071.3mm of showers.
Out of the 12 tehsils only Kagal and Bhudargad have received above average rainfall this year. Kagal has received 578.7mm (110%) rainfall this year as compared to the average normal figure of 527mm. At 1420.4mm rainfall, Bhudargad has received 112% of its normal rain average.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday afternoon, most parts of the district received light rainfall for around 20 minutes. In the last 24 hours till 11am on Tuesday, the district received 4.9mm rainfall with Shahuwadi tehsil receiving the most (16.1mm) and Hatkanangle getting the least (1.1mm) rainfall.
Rohit Bandivdekar, executive engineer of Kolhapur irrigation department, said, “One-and-a-half month of monsoon is still left and we can receive good rainfall. The irrigation department will decide further action as per the dam water storage observed as on October 15. A spell of heavy showers for five to six days can change the entire scenario.”