Severe Drought Warning for Kerala: No Rainfall Expected for Next Two Months, Meteorologists Alert

Meteorologists have issued a concerning alert, indicating that Kerala is poised to endure a severe drought for the next two months due to an absence of rainfall. The state has witnessed a rainfall deficit of 44 percent since June up until now, with an anticipated reduction of 60 percent by the end of this month. The recorded precipitation has been a mere 87.7 cm instead of the expected 155.6 cm by yesterday, indicating a significant shortfall.

Historically, August has seen substantial rainfall, but this year, only a meager ten percent of the anticipated rain has materialized despite it being mid-August. The prospects for September do not appear promising either, with minimal rainfall typically expected during that period. These statistics suggest that this year’s drought could surpass the severity experienced in 2016.

Normally, Kerala receives an average of 201.86 cm of rainfall from June through September. However, last year saw a reduced amount of 173.6 cm during the same period, and experts are pessimistic about the possibility of attaining such levels this time. Meteorologist K Rajeevan from the State Disaster Management Department has issued a warning that if this trend persists, a severe drought awaits the state in the forthcoming months.

The shortage in rainfall is attributed to several factors, including the formation of El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, a lack of significant low-pressure systems, and insufficient monsoon rains along the coastline. In contrast, the MetBeat Weather consortium of meteorologists has offered a contrasting prediction, suggesting that Kerala might experience higher-than-normal rainfall in September.