Ahmedabad: Even as the late spell of recent rains across the state has disrupted the Navratri celebrations to a large extent yet it has diminished the actual rain deficiency a great deal and the monsoon rain average across Saurashtra region, one of the main agricultural areas in Gujarat, has crossed 100% mark.

Saurashtra with over 100.52% rain till today has six of its 11 districts with over 100% rain figures while 3 have received rain in excess of 90%. The district with highest rain percentage, Jamnagar is also in Saurashtra, the main producer region of cash crops like cotton and groundnut.

With still no signs of monsoon withdrawal taking place (More than a fortnight later than the normal period of September 15 this time around), till today, nine of the total 33 districts across the state have experienced over 100% rain while seven were above 90 %. Some of the districts in Central Gujarat have received light to moderate rains even as no warning of heavy rains have been issued for the coming days. In the last 24 hours only 54 talukas of 17 districts received rains with maximum 66 mm recorded at Keshod in Junagadh district.

The lowest rain figure in percentage term for any district is for Vadodara (57.20%), though in actual amount terms Surendranagar (Ironically also situated in Saurashtra region) with only 335 mm was the lowest, however its percentage was 61.29%, the second lowest. Ahmedabad with 62.47 % (419 mm) was the third lowest in percentage term while second lowest with regard to the actual amount.

The nine districts with above 100% rains in descending order with regard to the percentage are Jamnagar (120. 96%, 732 mm), Valsad (116.17%, 2500mm- highest in terms of actual amount of rain), Amreli (114.40%, 711 mm), Aravalli (113.12%, 953), Gir-Somnath (112.82%,996 mm), Bhavnagar (112.75%, 647 mm), Dahod (107.88%, 811 mm), Junagadh (107.44%, 958mm) and Devbhoomi Dwarka (101.46%, 617 mm).

While the state has completed 91.10%, region-wise Saurashtra with 100.52 % has got maximum rains in percentage terms however South Gujatat tops the table in actual amount of rains with 1235 mm but was second percentage wise with 88.54%. North Gujarat has received 84.84%, East Central Gujarat 79.57% and Kutch the lowest at 78.19 /%.

Despite a good amount of rains in October this year across Gujarat, owing to technical reasons, the official figures of deficit in the rainfall this monsoon across the state has not gone down below the 20% figure calculated at the end of September.

In-charge Director of Ahmedabad Met Center Mrs Manorama Mohanty said that though owing to spells of rain in October the actual deficit of rain has gone down yet officially it was still at 20 %, the figure calculated at the end of the last month. In fact as per the official practice it is calculated only for the period from June 1 to September 30 every year and during that period this year the average deficit across Gujarat was around 20%.

‘As per official practice the rain figures up to September 30 is recorded for deficit calculation and used for all purposes including consideration of drought etc. The monsoon this year has lingered longer but the rains post September 30 have not been recorded for calculation of rain deficit,’ she said.

DeshGujarat