Telangana Heavy Rain Alert: Telangana Braces for Heavy Rainfall from September 19

Telangana Heavy Rain Alert: Telangana is set for another spell of rain, with the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre forecasting heavy showers in several parts of the state from September 19. The weather department has advised caution in districts where stronger rainfall is expected.

Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Khammam are likely to receive heavy rain on September 19, prompting the department to issue yellow alerts for the three districts. More areas could also see heavy showers on September 20 and 21.

For today and tomorrow, light to moderate rainfall is expected across Telangana. The forecast suggests that rain may continue in different parts of the state even after the heavier spell begins.

Recent rainfall has already brought significant showers to some locations. Bhimadevarapalli in Hanamkonda district recorded 9.2 centimetres of rain during the past 24 hours, while Narmetta in Jangaon district received 8.5 centimetres.

Despite these spells, Telangana has recorded a rainfall deficit during September. From September 1 to 15, the state received only 61 millimetres of rain against the normal 86 millimetres for the period. This represents a deficit of about 28 percent.

The wider monsoon picture is also a concern. From June 1 to September 15, Telangana should have received around 659 millimetres of rainfall. The actual rainfall stood at about 535 millimetres, leaving the state with a 19 percent deficit for the season.

Rainfall shortages have been particularly noticeable in several districts. Jogulamba Gadwal recorded a deficit of 45.42 percent, followed by Hanamkonda at 41.91 percent and Wanaparthy at 40.70 percent. Nagarkurnool and Narayanpet also recorded deficits of 38.67 percent and 37.42 percent respectively.

The uneven rainfall has affected agricultural activity as well. Telangana had set a target of cultivating crops across about 1.32 crore acres this season. So far, cultivation has covered around 1.24 crore acres, which is about 6.12 percent below the target.

Paddy cultivation has seen a bigger gap. Against the target of about 65.95 lakh acres, farmers have planted paddy across roughly 55.36 lakh acres. This leaves a difference of around 10.58 lakh acres compared with the planned area.

With the Kharif season nearing its end, there is limited scope for taking up fresh crops at this stage, except for crops such as chilli in suitable areas. The rainfall expected over the coming days could therefore be important for crops that are already standing in fields.

Meanwhile, the rainfall situation and the possible impact of El Nino are also expected to come up for discussion in the Telangana Assembly. The Agriculture Department has prepared a report on the prevailing El Nino conditions and submitted it to the government.

For now, the focus remains on the forecast period beginning September 19, particularly in the three districts under the yellow alert. Authorities and residents are expected to keep track of weather updates as rainfall conditions can change quickly.