Maharashtra's dry spell continues, farmers worried as 4 districts get yellow alert
Rain has stayed away for days over Maharashtra's kharif crops, with a yellow alert issued for Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha and Yavatmal.
The wait for widespread heavy rain across Maharashtra is not over yet, and the kharif crop is now facing a major crisis. Rain has been absent for several days, leaving farmers deeply worried and troubled.
According to the latest information from the Meteorology Department, on September 15, some areas in four districts of Vidarbha, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha and Yavatmal, including localities around police stations, may see rain with thunder and lightning, so a yellow alert has been issued there. Light rain is also possible in some parts of Jalna and Beed districts. In the rest of Maharashtra, there may be light drizzle in some places amid sun and clouds, but this dry spell will continue in most areas.
Looking at the next four days, the dry spell is fully expected to continue across the state. Light rain is possible in some places on Wednesday. After that, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, light rain with thunder is forecast in some parts of Ahilyanagar, Pune, Satara and Sangli districts. However, this rain will be confined to very limited areas rather than the whole region, meaning the weather will remain dry in most parts.
The Meteorology Department has also said that conditions are becoming favourable around September 19 for the withdrawal of the south-west monsoon from parts of western Rajasthan. This year, the monsoon reached the entire country one day later than normal, on July 9, and there are now indications that its withdrawal will begin two days later than the long-term average date.
The monsoon's arrival this year was also delayed. It made landfall in parts of Kerala and Karnataka on June 4, and then reached the lower areas of Konkan on June 6. After entering Konkan, its onward progress was slow and halting.
The monsoon finally covered the whole of Maharashtra on June 29. Progressing haltingly across the rest of the country as well, the monsoon eventually covered the entire country on July 9, the Meteorology Department had said.
