The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Cyclone: farmers in State cautioned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 13, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Cyclone: farmers in State cautioned

Divya Gandhi

— Source: India Meteorological Department

Imminent? A satellite image of the cyclone build-up.

Bangalore: The season’s first cyclonic storm — named Sidr — is gathering momentum in the Bay of Bengal and is likely to intensify as it moves northwest towards the subcontinent, according to an advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department.

While the Meteorological Department in the city says that it is too early to assess whether peninsular India will be affected, precautionary measures are being advised for farmers in Karnataka. In an agro-met advisory bulletin to the State Department of Agriculture, M.B. Rajegowda, Professor of Agrometeorology at the University of Agricultural Sciences has advised farmers to store harvested produce, or to postpone harvesting where it has not yet begun. October and November are important months for harvesting.

“If the present intensity of the cyclone remains, it is likely to touch coastal Tamil Nadu on November 15 and move into eastern Karnataka by November 16,” he said.

The northeast monsoon in October and November is known for cyclonic activity, especially over the Bay of Bengal, Prof. Rajegowda explained. “The landmass gets considerably cooler after the southwest monsoon, creating a high pressure that prevents clouds from gathering. Clouds therefore remain over the sea, moving around within the horse-shoe-shaped bay, often converting into a cyclone.”

Officials at the meteorological centre here, however, say that the cyclonic storm, which is currently 600 km east of Chennai, is moving towards the north, towards Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“If at all the cyclone hits the Indian coast, it will only affect northern Andhra Pradesh coast,” said the duty officer.

Prof. Rajegowda believes that showers and cloudy weather between November 16 and 18 are not unlikely in eastern Karnataka.

“Farmers in Bangalore, Tumkur, Bellary and Kolar, must be kept informed about the possibility of rain during this harvesting period.”

The major crops which are now in the process of being harvested and sun-dried are red gram, finger millet, rice, groundnut and maize, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section