Cyclone Biparjoy: Rajasthan braces for heavy rain, floods over next three days

Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to cause heavy rainfall with strong winds over the eastern and western subdivisions of Rajasthan for the next three days, through June 18, 2023.

There may be heavy rainfall in both subdivisions for the next three days, warned the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The western subdivision of Rajasthan has received more rainfall this monsoon season so far, where most of the districts are known to be dry and hot. On the other hand, the districts of the eastern subdivision usually get more rainfall but have received less this time.

The IMD divides and demarcates subdivisions on the basis of places with similar climates. There are 10 districts in western Rajasthan: Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Pali. The eastern part of the state has 23 districts. 

Also read: How have Cyclone Biporjoy and El Nino influenced the monsoon in India?

Jalaun and Barmer are on alert for floods on June 16, while two more districts, Pali and Jodhpur, will be added to this alert on June 17, Devendra Kumar Jain, deputy secretary for the disaster management, relief and civil defence department of Rajasthan government, told Down To Earth. 

There is a high alert for places at low levels, which are likelier to face floods, said Jain. When it rains up to 300 millimetres in 24 hours, the situation worsens in these areas. However, 100 to 200 mm of rainfall is not particularly harmful for these locations.

A flood management manual was prepared 18 years ago in Rajasthan, said Jain. “For the last few years, teams have been alerted for floods on June 15. The human resources for disaster management are also increasing in the state, which is an indication of an increasing number of disasters,” he added.

The monsoon system becomes active in Rajasthan after June 25.

Sudden flash floods in low-lying places drown many people, said the deputy secretary. Flash floods 10 years ago drowned several people sleeping outside their houses, he said.

The flood manual for Rajasthan was released in 2005. For a state that is in the grip of drought, the manual is surprising, wrote RK Meena, the then secretary of disaster management and relief, in his opening notes.

However, the state often faces floods from time to time and the administration has to step in. 

After Kutch and North Gujarat, cyclone Biparjoy is expected to move on to the Marwar region and bring heavy rains to the Jodhpur, Barmer and Jalore districts in Rajasthan.

Also read: Biporjoy inundates low-lying areas on Kutch-Saurashtra coastline

But there has been less rainfall in Gujarat due to the cyclone, so it may rain less in Rajasthan as well, according to Jain. “However, the districts on alert may receive more than 200 mm of rainfall in a day,” he said.

In view of the fear of heavy rains and floods, about 500 Aapda Mitras and response forces from the central and state disaster management authorities are also deployed in the state.

Jodhpur may receive 260.9 mm of rainfall in the next three days, according to Windy, wind and weather forecast website. This amount of rainfall is equal to the average annual rainfall of the district.

Parts of east and west Rajasthan may receive 250 to 300 mm of rain in the next two days.

There may be 197.1 mm of rain in Kota, 28.5 mm in Dewa, 42.6 mm in Udaipur, 15.5 mm in Jaipur and 36 mm in Jaipur in the next two days, according to Windy. 

The average annual rainfall in India is 883 mm, while in Rajasthan, it is 531 mm. The average rainfall in western Rajasthan is 279 mm while the average rainfall in eastern Rajasthan is 631 mm.

However, in the initial monsoon season, the western subdivision that sees less rainfall has received more rain. The western subdivision of Rajasthan has the lowest rainfall areas, even though it usually witnesses more rain, showing climate impact in the region.

Also read: Assam floods affect 21,000; heavy rain forecast till June 19

Rajasthan as a whole has received 21 mm of rainfall, according to IMD’s rainfall data for the monsoon 2023 season so far (June 1-16). The rainfall is the average amount, but the western Rajasthan subdivision has seen 86 per cent more rainfall (27.8 mm). 

The east Rajasthan subdivision has received -41 percent less (12.8 mm) rainfall.

The western Rajasthan districts with the most rain this monsoon season are Barmer (185 per cent excess) and Ganganagar (274 per cent excess), Jalore (139 per cent) and Nagaur (105 per cent excess). 

Meanwhile, Chittorgarh and Sikar in eastern Rajasthan received above normal rainfall from June 1-16. 

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