Drought-like conditions prevail in Anantapur due to deficit rain

ANANTAPUR: Deficit rainfall and dwindling groundwater levels in Anantapur district have affected the water bodies, resulting in drought-like conditions in the erstwhile district. Though the district had witnessed rainfall in the first week of September, it has not improved the groundwater levels in the region. According to official reports, around 975 water bodies were dried up, which is 65 per cent in the undivided district.

There are 1,484 water tanks in the district, 11 of them have 75 per cent of water, 115 tanks have 50 per cent of water and 396 with 25 per cent of water. Anantapur district has witnessed 185.5 mm of rainfall against 246.4 mm of normal rainfall with a deficit of 24.7 mm to date this year. Similarly, Sri Satya Sai district has received 182.4 mm of rainfall against 278.4 mm of normal rainfall with a deficit of 34.5 mm. Around 21 mandals of the 31 in Anantapur district have been facing a deficit rainfall.

Meanwhile, the groundwater levels are decreasing in all 31 mandals, where on average the depth was 7.67 m by the end of May. However, the water level has depleted to 8.22 m by the end of June. With groundwater depleted to 17.85 m deep, Yadaki mandal is the worst-hit in the district. It is worth noting that groundwater levels at Nagaruru and Rayalcheruvu in Yadiki mandal have reached depths of 23.79 m and 23.72 m respectively.

It is to be noted that the erstwhile Anantapur district has received 58.96 tmc of water through rainfall in various water bodies. However, only 12 per cent of water helped in reviving groundwater levels. Around 6.57 tmc of water was lost in the form of humidity, 40 per cent of water was lost with runoff and.