Bengaluru, May 31 — Excessive pre-monsoon rains across Karnataka since April have claimed 71 lives, marking the highest rainfall recorded in May and the pre-monsoon season in the past 125 years, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed on Saturday.
According to the CMO statement, Karnataka typically receives 74 mm of rainfall in May, but this year it witnessed a staggering 219 mm, which is 197% above normal.
For the entire pre-monsoon period (March 1 to May 31), the state normally records 115 mm, but this year saw 286 mm, a 149% increase over the average.
Monsoon expected to reach Kerala on May 27, ahead of normal onset on June 1: IMD
The extreme weather, including thunderstorms and strong winds, impacted all districts in Karnataka, with widespread damage. Among the 71 casualties:
48 people died due to lightning,
9 were killed by falling trees,
5 died in house collapses,
4 drowned,
4 were buried in landslides, and
1 was electrocuted.
The government has disbursed ₹5 lakh in emergency compensation to the families of the deceased.
In addition, the rains caused:
Loss of 702 animals (compensation paid in 698 cases),
Damage to 2,068 houses (75 fully, 1,993 partially damaged, with compensation provided for 1,926), and
Crop damage across 15,378 hectares (11,916 hectares of agricultural crops and 3,463 hectares of horticulture). Compensation processing for crop losses is underway.
Looking ahead, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts above-normal rainfall across most of Karnataka during the upcoming southwest monsoon (June–September), except for some southern interior districts.
To prepare, the state has deployed five NDRF teams — four stationed in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada, and one in Bengaluru — alongside fire brigades, SDRF, and other emergency services on standby for monsoon rescue efforts.
As of May 31, the 14 major reservoirs in Karnataka hold 316.01 TMC of water, about 35% of their total capacity (895.62 TMC), compared to 20% at this time last year. Recent inflows have increased, especially since May 25, following heavy rains in catchment areas.
