Visakhapatnam: The withdrawal of Southwest monsoon has brought difficult times for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state with increased temperatures and humidity due to scanty rainfall.
Many districts in both the states have been experiencing mercury levels between 34ºC and 36ºC for the last week with maximum temeratures touching 37ºC in some districts.
The Southwest monsoon has started withdrawing from Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and other places and conditions are also favourable for the withdrawal of the monsoon from the remaining parts of North-West India and parts of central India, according to the Indian Meteorological Department Andhra Pradesh has received a deficit rainfall of 29 per cent. Coastal AP and Rayalaseema regions have received 23 per cent deficit rainfall. Deficit rainfall in Telangana state was 34 per cent up as on September 30. Many districts in both the states were victims of the vagaries of the monsoon this time.
In Andhra Pradesh, East Godavari district had a deficit of 44 per cent, Krishna district was facing 46 per cent deficit and the deficit in Prakasam district was 31 per cent. Visakhapatnam district had a deficit of 13 per cent.
In Telangana state, Medak district had a deficit of 56 per cent, Nizamabad 52 per cent, Nalgonda 38 per cent, Ranga Reddy 37 per cent and Hyderabad had a 34 per cent deficit.
The monsoon is expected to withdraw from TS around October 15 and around November 1 in AP. Both states may receive some more rainfall during the period, met officials said.
The Northeast monsoon ste in from mid-October over peninsular India. It is the major source of rainfall over the southern peninsula, particularly in the subdivisions of coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. However, it has yet set in the country.
Climate change is devastating
Climatic change is wreaking havoc all over the world with recurring episodes of massive floods, severe droughts and cyclones. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state have been facing floods, low rainfall with drought conditions, and increased temperatures even during winter.
Massive floods in Kurnool, Nalgonda, Guntur, Prakasam, and in North Andhra districts were some of the catastrophic climactic events. Nalgonda district, which has scanty water bodies, faced severe floods last year.
Between 2000 and 2004, an average of 26 climactic disasters was reported across the globe. Immense geological changes will continue their destruction if steps to mitigate global warming are not taken, say experts. Cyclones have been observed to be more frequent in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea. As a result, West Bengal, Odisha, AP and Tamil Nadu along the Bay of Bengal are the most affected.
“We still have to realise the impact of climate change as part of global warming that has been affecting various states every year. Many tourism spots and coastal cities across AP and TS have been facing the brunt of nature’s fury,” said Prof. E.U.B. Reddy from Andhra University.
Climate change has also turned out to be detrimental to coastal infrastructure. East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam etc. have been losing their coasts due to recurrent beach erosion.
A warm winter in the offing
Winter this year will be moderate due to rising temperatures and low monsoon activity in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state, say experts. The situation may change if there is good rainfall during the North East monsoon.
A retired professor from Andhra University Professor Bhanu Kumar, said, “We expect the North-East monsoon to bring good rainfall in the southern Indian coast including Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions. Winter conditions will be depend on the rainfall activity.”
M. Narasimha Rao, assistant meteorologist, Indian Meteorological Department said the hilly regions of Visakhapatnam and parts of North TS may experience a severe cold wave this winter while other places will have moderate winter.
Chief scientist of the National Institute of Oceanography, Dr V.S.N. Murthy said temperatures in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state have been soaring and would take time to return to normal.
