August records 17.4 per cent deficit rainfall

Bhubaneswar: Odisha recorded average rainfall of 293.9 mm in August against the long term average (LTA) of 356 mm, a shortfall of 17.4 per cent, the office of Special Relief Commissioner said.
Malkangiri experienced maximum rainfall at 493.8 mm during the month while Boudh recorded the minimum of 192 mm.
On the other hand, cumulative rainfall from June to August remained 842.4 mm against the LTA of 912.4 mm, a shortfall of 7.7 per cent. Only Gajapati and Ganjam districts registered 19 per cent more rainfall during this period, the office said.
The 18 districts that received normal rainfall (+ 19 per cent to – 19 per cent) are Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Khordha, Koraput, Puri, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Nayagarh, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Bhadrak.
Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Bargarh, Subarnapur, Nuapada, Jajpur, Balangir, Boudh, Angul and Dhenkanal recorded a deficit of 19 per cent to 39 per cent.
A total of 62 blocks recorded 19 per cent less rainfall and 75 blocks registered 19-39 per cent less rain while normal rains occurred in 151 blocks. The remaining 24 blocks experienced 39-59 per cent less rainfall in these three months.
Odapada block in Dhenkanal and Kanhia of Angul district registered less than 59 per cent rainfall, the office added.