With a shortfall of 53%, Wayanad received only 114.49cm between June 1 and Sept 30 this year. Kochi: While overall rainfall figures this monsoon remained below normal across the state, Wayanad once again recorded the highest shortfall in Keralam.
But this is not the first time that Wayanad has recorded over 50% rain deficiency in the state. In 2016 for instance, Wayanad recorded 59% shortfall in rain during the corresponding period. Moreover, between 2015 and 2026, Wayanad witnessed over 50% rain deficiency in three years. In 2023, the district recorded a 55% shortfall, preceding the drought situation in the summer in 2024.
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Neetha K Gopal, director of IMD Thiruvananthapuram centre, said multiple factors, including the strength of monsoon wind currents and direction, determine the rain patterns in the hilly regions. The number of days of westerly and south-westerly winds in Keralam’s regions was less during the June-Sept period this year,” she said. Meanwhile, agriculture minister T Siddique, who is also in charge of Wayanad, said the district is prepared to face the drought situation. Besides, authorities have been instructed to map the existing check dams, constitute the clusters of farmers and do rain harvesting for distributing water; rejuvenation of canals and regulators and removing sediments in reservoirs and rivers are the measures we plan to implement in the district to tackle the drought situation,” he said.
Wayanad used to record similar deficiency in the warmest years, especially El Nino years, preceding the drought situation in Kerala in the past. “During a weak monsoon, the hilly region, including Idukki and Wayanad, witnesses less rainfall. If there are strong westerly and south-westerly winds, they will reach the Western Ghats region and bring heavy rainfall. However, we got mostly north-westerly winds, which moved parallel to the coastal regions and did not reach the ghats this year. “We have not been able to utilise the water allocated from the Cauvery basin. Hence, we have decided to move forward with the proposed Kadamanthoru project. Download the TOI App.