Visakhapatnam Records Lowest Southwest Monsoon Rainfall in Two Decades

Visakhapatnam has recorded its lowest Southwest Monsoon rainfall in twenty years for the June to August period, with cumulative rainfall dropping sharply to just 240 mm in 2026. This steep decline marks an extreme departure from historical precipitation patterns observed across the coastal district over the past two decades.

Between 2007 and 2025, rainfall during these three monsoon months consistently remained between 426 mm and 781 mm. The highest rainfall was recorded in 2010 at 781 mm, closely followed by 2013 at 735 mm, 2021 at 723 mm, and 2017 at 702 mm. Previous low-rainfall years like 2015 at 426 mm, 2009 at 472 mm, and 2023 at 487 mm still received nearly double the volume recorded during the current season.

The sharp drop in rainfall has created a critical deficit across the region, heavily impacting local water reserves, groundwater levels, and farming activities. This severe shortfall highlights the urgent necessity of bringing Godavari water to Visakhapatnam through the Polavaram Left Canal project to safeguard drinking water supplies and meet the growing demands of local industries.