Rainfall eases in South Coastal A.P.

After receiving extremely heavy rainfall from Tuesday night to Thursday morning, the districts of NTR, Guntur, Krishna, Bapatla, Palnadu, West and East Godavari did not report any significant rainfall activity on Thursday, despite a red alert in place for these districts on Thursday.

According to information on the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the A.P. State Development and Planning Society, between 8.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday, the highest rainfall of 52 mm was recorded in Srungavarapukota of Vizianagaram district. It was followed by Pydibhimavaram of Sriakakulam district with 48.25 mm rainfall and Kotapadu in Eluru district with 42 mm rainfall.

A few places in the districts of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, NTR, Palnadu, East Godavari, Tirupati received light to moderate rainfall.

According to the rainfall bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday, the chief amounts of rainfall recorded between 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday and the corresponding time period on Thursday, Tanuku in West Godavari recorded the highest of 240 mm or 24 cm, Nandigama in NTR district recorded 190 mm, Tadepalligudem in West Godavari recorded 160 mm, Amalapuram in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema recorded 130 mm, Vijayawada received 130 mm, Bhimadole in Eluru district recorded 10 mm.

Many other places in North and South Coast A.P. received above 50 mm rainfall during the 24 hour period. There was light to moderate rainfall in Rayalseema.

After the two days of extremely heavy rainfall in many places, the overall rainfall has drastically come down. From June 1 to August 14, the State received an average of 338. 2 mm of rainfall, against the normal of 309.5 mm. Except for six districts, including East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam, SPSR Nellore, Srikakulam and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, have recorded either normal or excess rainfall during the two-and-a-half month period.

The IMD has issued a heavy rainfall forecast for North Coastal A.P. until August 19. Thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds are likely across the State till August 19. For Rayalaseema and South Coastal A.P., a forecast of light to moderate rainfall is in place.

The low-pressure area remained over northwest and adjoining areas of westcentral Bay of Bengal and South Odisha-North Andhra Pradesh coasts at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday. The associated upper air cyclonic circulation extended upto 7.6 km above mean sea level. It is likely to move west-north-westwards across south Odisha-North Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

There are two troughs, one passing through Kalingapatnam, among other places, and also through centre of low-pressure area over the Bay, and another passing through the central parts of Bay of Bengal to northeast Arabian sea across the upper air cyclonic circulation, associated with the low-pressure area.