Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, May 24: It seems, by the pattern of rain over past few years, that the label of Cherrapunji of south is shifted from Agumbe Ghats to Udupi. In future Western Ghats will receive copious amounts of rains say the statistics of past five years and the research done by scientists on this subject.
Earlier, Agumbe used to receive highest amount of rainfall. Hence, it was called as the Cherrapunji of south India. However of late, Udupi district is receiving the highest rainfall.
According to the data provided by state disaster management authority, during the period of 2015 to 2021, various parts of Udupi district have received highest rainfall in Karnataka.
Rain in Udupi (file photo)
Byrampalli in Udupi received record rainfall of 59.16 cm in 2016. Similarly, in 2017, Shirlalu in Karkala taluk received 69.39 cm which was highest for that year. In 2019, Hebri recorded 93.40 cm of rain and in 2020 Innanje had a rainfall of 79.88 cm. Both were highest for respective years. In 2021, Mudradi of Karkala recorded 79.49 cm of rain, again highest in Karnataka for that year.
In 2015 Kere in Shringeri taluk of Chikkamagaluru recorded 52.99 cm of rain which was termed as highest for that year in Karnataka. In 2018, Kokani of Uttara Kannada received 79.78 cm. Both these are parts of Western Ghats. Hulikal of Hosanagara taluk has also received more rainfall than Agumbe four times during 2015-2021.
Average temperature, along with rain has also risen in Western Ghats. A rise of 0.5 deg C is recorded. The main reason for this shift is the steep decrease in forest area in the last two to three decades and increase of one type of plants like acacia and rubber, according to scientist T V Ramachandra of IISc.