india

Updated: Aug 09, 2019 01:19 IST

Heavy rains in the second half of monsoon have caused deadly flooding in several states, threatening life and summer-sown crops even as central advisories asked key states to take mitigation measures to protect farms.

A deep depression, a rain-bearing stormy weather system that formed over the Bay of Bengal, is sweeping from east to west, inundating large swathes in Chhattissgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Although overall monsoon has been 2% below normal since the start of the wet season in June, for the first week August, rainfall has been 28% surplus, triggering deadly floods.

Several rice-growing districts are inundated in Odisha, where torrential rains continued on Thursday. Crops have gone under water in Rayagada, Malkangiri Koraput, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati districts.

Major rivers in Andhra Pradesh are in spate. Dams in Maharashtra are overflowing. Farms in large tracts in Kolhapur and Sangli are inundated. Vidarbha, which has been facing drought-like conditions, has witnessed flooding in several areas.

“Based on inputs from agricultural meteorology, state-specific advisories have been issued to save standing crops. That’s a standard procedure,” a farm ministry official said, requesting anonymity. Madhya Pradesh, a large soyabean grower, too has started witnessing heavy rains.

According to the news agency PTI, 250,000 people have been moved to safety in Maharashtra alone.

The weather bureau on Thursday said Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Kerala will continue to get robust rains for the next three days.

Farmers in Maharashtra’s Marathwada, where sowing has not been not completed have been advised to complete the process after sufficient rainfall has occurred. In flooded areas, sowing of alternate crops like hybrid pearl millet, sunflower, castor and sesamum have been advised.

“Alternate crops are the key in a situation like this that can help farmers save financial losses. Increase in pest attacks are another risk. So, adequate measures are essential,” Ashok Shamal, a former official of the Indian Agricultural research Institute said.