Mercury dips as pre-monsoon rain finally lashes Mangaluru; will it continue?

Mangaluru, May 11: Giving respite to people from summer heat, the pre-monsoon rains lashed the coastal city of Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday evening.

It was relatively a cloudy day since morning and moderate to heavy rains occurred after 5 p.m. in the city. The entire city was drenched by 6.30 p.m.

Roads in low lying areas including Derebail, Yeyyadi, Jeppinamogaru were flooded for some time. Mercury plummeted by more than five degree C during day hours giving respite from the heat.

However, this rain is not likely to address the water scarcity of Mangaluru immediately unless it continues to pour and increases the water level at Thumbe vented dam.

Due to lack of pre-monsoon rains most of the rivers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts including Nethravati, Phalguni (Gurupura), Nandini, Swarna, Varahi, Sharavati, Aghanashini, and Kali, have almost dried up and groundwater level depleted considerably.

The region used to get normal pre-monsoon showers of up to 60 mm between January and April, but this year it got just 8 mm rainfall — a deficit of 87 per cent.

While groundwater has considerably depleted in the coastal region, farmers, with no other recourse, have become hapless to witness dying crops, including arecanut and coconut plantations.