Chief Minister DK Shivakumar asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send a central team to the state to assess what he described as the emerging drought.
In a letter on Tuesday, Shivakumar said the state received only 203 mm rainfall as against 292 mm on July 11, resulting in a rainfall deficit of 30%. He urged the Center to assess the situation on the ground before it deteriorates further.
“Such a visit will provide a first-hand assessment of the severity of the emerging drought conditions and reassure the farming community that the Government of India stands with them in this difficult period,” he wrote.
The Chief Minister attributed the shortage to the erratic southwest monsoon that entered Karnataka on June 5 but took 17 days to spread across the state due to prolonged interruption of rainfall. Malnad district, which feeds the Cauvery, Tunga and Bhadra river systems, recorded a rainfall deficit of 34%, followed by the coastal region at 30%, north interior Karnataka at 24% and south interior Karnataka at 18%, he said.
According to the letter, 18 of Karnataka’s 31 districts and 141 of 240 taluks have reported deficit or significant lack of rainfall.
Shivakumar also pointed out the IMD’s forecast of below-normal rainfall in July, saying the forecast is worrying as the month contributes significantly to the state’s monsoon season.
“As of the first week of July 2026, kharif sowing has covered only 28.36 lakh hectares, which is only 34% of the seasonal target of 84.10 lakh hectares,” the letter said.
He added, “Any significant decline in production due to prevailing drought conditions is likely to have broader impacts on the availability and prices of pulses at the national level, especially taur.”
The letter also noted declining water reserves.
“As of July 10, 2026, the combined storage in the 14 major reservoirs in Karnataka is only 303 TMC, constituting only 34% of the total storage capacity of 895.65 TMC,” the CM wrote.
