The recent rain due to Cyclone Kyarr might have affected farmers but has helped Dakshina Kannada district to get normal average rainfall from January to October.
Though the district had received heavy rain coupled with flash flood in the month of August, till October 20, the district had not experienced the normal average rainfall from January to October.
The normal average rainfall from January to October is 3,806.2 mm. However, till October 19, the district had received an average of 3,792.1 mm of rainfall.
Owing to Kyarr, the district has received an average of 4,059.9 mm of rainfall as against the average of 3,806.2 mm as on October 28.
The normal rainfall till October in Bantwal is 3,739 mm, Belthangady—4,396 mm, Mangaluru—3,513 mm, Puttur—3,899 mm and Sullia—3,484 mm.
Belthangady which had experienced heavy downpour coupled with landslides and flash flood had not received average rainfall till October 24. The taluk had received 4,341.88 mm against average rainfall of 4,396 mm.
Last year, Belthangady had received an average of 5,819.8 mm of rainfall till October.
Only Puttur taluk has not received an average normal rainfall till October 28. The average rainfall in the taluk should have been 3,899 mm while it has received only 3,818.9 mm so far.
Last year, Dakshina Kannada had received the average rainfall in the month of August itself.
The rain last year had affected national highways both Shiradi Ghat and Sampaje Ghat, railway line and had inundated several acres of farmland in the entire district.
This year, a majority of the damage was only in Belthangady taluk.
This year rain was delayed by a month. The district average rainfall by the end of July should have been 2,393.2 mm but it had received only 1,408 mm.
By August end, the average rain should have been 3,249.6 mm but the district had received only 2,868.6 mm. The intermittent rain in the months of September and October helped the region.
Owing to lack of rainfall in the month of September and October, the grassland in Western Ghats had dried untimely in the month of November last year.
Groundwater table
Even water-level in River Nethravathi had receded drastically. The experts feel that rainfall in the month of October might help to retain groundwater table this year.