Karnataka’s Pre-Monsoon Showers Claim 71 Lives, Cause Widespread Damage

Typically, Karnataka receives an average of 74 mm of rainfall in May; however, this year, the state recorded an astonishing 219 mm, representing a staggering 197% increase over the normal levels. Similarly, from March 1 to May 31, the state usually anticipates 115 mm of rainfall during the pre-monsoon period, but actual rainfall soared to 286 mm, which is 149% above the average.

The intense rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, affected all districts across the state during the pre-monsoon period. The CMO reported that from April 1 to May 31, the fatalities included 48 individuals due to lightning strikes, nine from falling trees, five from house collapses, four from drowning incidents, four from landslides, and one from electrocution.

In response to this devastating situation, the government has provided emergency compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased. Additionally, the statement highlighted that 702 animals were reported lost, with compensation already distributed in 698 cases, including 225 large animals and 477 small animals.

Furthermore, the CMO noted that 2,068 houses have sustained damage, with compensation already disbursed for 1,926 of these properties, including 75 that were completely destroyed and 1,993 that suffered partial damage.

A total of 15,378.32 hectares of crops have sustained damage, comprising 11,915.66 hectares of agricultural crops and 3,462.66 hectares of horticultural crops, according to officials. They noted that detailed information regarding the crop damage has been submitted for entry into the compensation software, and the process for compensation payments is currently underway.

The India Meteorological Department released a revised Southwest Monsoon Forecast for 2025 on May 27, indicating a likelihood of above-normal rainfall across the state during the monsoon season, which spans from June to September. With the exception of a few districts in the southern interior, all remaining districts are expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall in June.

In preparation for the monsoon season, five teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been stationed in the state. Four of these teams have already been deployed—one each to the districts of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada—to facilitate emergency response efforts. The fifth team is based in Bengaluru. Additionally, the fire brigade, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and other emergency service teams are on standby to assist with emergency response and rescue operations as needed.

As of May 31, the total water storage in 14 major reservoirs across the state stands at 316.01 TMC, which represents 35 percent of the total storage capacity of 895.62 TMC. This is a significant increase compared to the same period last year, when storage was at 179.95 TMC, or approximately 20 percent of capacity, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Overall, the major reservoirs in the state experienced a cumulative inflow of approximately 718,193 cusecs (62.05 TMC) between May 19 and May 29, with inflow levels generally rising from May 25 due to widespread and heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.