Rain below normal in Jammu region

Rain below normal in Jammu region
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Chatha (Jammu), July 29
Though the monsoon arrived in the Jammu region well on time this year, rainfall till date has remained lesser than the average.

Going by the data collected from the Agronomy Department of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at Chatha, Udhampur is the worst hit district with 277.7 mm less rainfall than the normal. The district witnessed a total rainfall of 190.2 mm during June 1 to July 27 while the normal rainfall expected was 467.9 mm, say weather experts.

The situation is also poor in Kathua which witnessed 44.6 mm shortfall in total rain. Rajouri district also witnessed 21.6 mm rain deficiency. Similarly, Doda and Ramban districts also got 21.3 mm and 9.7 mm lesser showers, respectively.

Comparing the rainfall in Jammu district with that of the last year, it witnessed a deficit of 44.5 mm till date. The total rainfall measured at Chatha village in Jammu till July 27 is 246.1 mm, although it was 290.6 mm last year.

Statistics of Jammu district show that in the last 27 days, it got showers for just 12 days.

The experts said the lesser rainfall was the result of the monsoon becoming inactive for a few days.

“The arrival of the monsoon was very good, but after a short spell it became weak which resulted in less rainfall in the initial phase. Now, it has become active again, but it is still slow than the last year, as the rainfall remained continue during this period in 2010,” said Mahender Singh, a weather expert of SKUAST, Chatha.

An official of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Srinagar, told The Tribune that deforestation, rising levels of pollution and increasing number of vehicles were the major reasons behind the shortfall of rain in some areas of the Jammu region. “The rain can now pickup as the situation is improving slightly,” he said.

Courtesy: The Tribune