Context
The Andhra Pradesh government has declared 388 mandals across 21 districts drought-affected for the Kharif 2026 season, including 283 severely affected and 105 moderately affected. The early declaration followed a 53.4% rainfall deficit during June–August, along with prevailing El Niño conditions. Recently, Maharshtra also declared a drought.
Explanation
- Drought is a prolonged deficiency of water availability caused by inadequate rainfall and related hydrological or agricultural stress.
- India broadly recognises meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts, depending on rainfall, crop/soil-moisture stress and depletion of surface or groundwater.
- Drought assessment follows the Government of India’s Manual for Drought Management, 2016.
- Assessment uses rainfall deviation and dry spells as key triggers, followed by impact indicators such as sown area, vegetation condition, soil-moisture adequacy, reservoir storage and groundwater levels.
- Andhra Pradesh received 197.6 mm rainfall against the normal 424.3 mm during June–August 2026.
- El Niño involves abnormal warming of the central/eastern equatorial Pacific and is often associated with weaker Indian monsoon rainfall.
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