Srinagar, Oct 2: Jammu and Kashmir has received a rainfall deficit of 26 percent in this monsoon.
Between June 1 and September 30, J&K received just 408.5 mm of rainfall against the normal 549.1 mm, according to Kashmir Weather.
Srinagar recorded a rainfall deficit of 30%.
Except for Pulwama district which recorded a rainfall deficit of 13%, the other districts in south Kashmir received below-normal rainfall in the range of -50 to -80%. Similar was the case in other districts of Kashmir Valley.
Baramulla was the only district in Kashmir to receive normal rainfall in the positive category (1% above normal)
Samba received above-normal rainfall of 13% and was the best-performing district. Jammu received exact normal rainfall as it should have.
Rest all districts in the Jammu region received below-normal rainfall in the range of -15 to -76%.
Meanwhile, Ladakh received surplus rainfall of 17%. Kargil with 8% surplus and Leh with 18%.
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing rapid climate change. The UT is warming at a higher rate than the world average. The average temperature of Jammu and Kashmir has increased by 1.2 degree centigrade in the last 100 years. During the same period, the average temperature of the earth increased by 0.8 to 0.9-degree centigrade.
Falling in the Himalayan region, Jammu and Kashmir has a geographic area of 101387 square kilometers. It excludes the 120849 square kilometer area which is under the occupation of Pakistan and China. Around 20230 square kilometers, which comprise 19.95 percent of the total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir, is under forest cover. The higher regions are covered by Pir Panjal, Karakoram, and the inner Himalayan ranges of mountains. Climate change has affected every aspect of life.
“We need to switch over to renewable energy. Policymakers need to prioritize climate. I will not be surprised if the mercury in Kashmir crosses 40 degree C. I will also not be surprised if there is snow in May. We are staring at a very tricky climatic situation,” said an environmentalist.
