Drought deepens in 8 of Vidarbha's 11 districts; Amravati, Akola see over 40% rain deficit
Only three of Vidarbha's 11 districts have had average rainfall, and the shortfall threatens kharif crops such as soybean, cotton and paddy.
Rainfall in Vidarbha this season has been poor. According to the data, only 3 of the region's 11 districts have received average rain. The remaining districts have recorded a heavy shortfall.
In 8 of the 11 districts, rainfall has been well below normal. Amravati (-43%) and Akola (-41%) are the worst affected. Nagpur has also recorded a 34 per cent deficit. Districts such as Amravati, Akola, Gadchiroli and Washim may face severe water problems in the coming period.
The weather cycle in Vidarbha and across Maharashtra has been changing rapidly over the past few years. Because of climate change, incidents of very heavy, torrential rain over short periods are increasing sharply.
According to Chopane, the pattern of September rainfall in Nagpur district was largely normal between 2013 and 2018. Since 2019, however, rainfall figures have shown an unexpected surge.
Urbanisation and the "urban heat island" effect have also been cited as factors in this change. Large-scale felling of trees and concrete construction have destroyed the land's natural capacity to absorb heat. Dense construction and industrialisation are steadily raising the city's temperature, which affects air pressure at the local level.
The main kharif crops, soybean, cotton and paddy, need adequate water at this time. Because of the deficit and its uneven distribution, crop yields are very likely to be affected. This could deepen the financial distress of farmers.
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