Andhra Pradesh declares drought in 56% of its mandals after 53% rainfall deficit

How many mandals were declared drought-affected, and how many were classified as severely or moderately affected?

Andhra Pradesh has declared an early kharif 2026 drought across 388 mandals in 21 districts. That means more than 56% of the State’s 688 mandals in 28 districts are affected. The declaration reflects the scale of the rainfall shortage and its potential effect on farming and water conditions.

The government classified 283 mandals as severely drought-affected and 105 as moderately drought-affected. These categories were based on a wider assessment, not just one rainfall reading. Officials examined rainfall deviation, dry spells, crop coverage, vegetation, moisture, reservoirs, groundwater and field conditions.

The declaration was issued through G.O. Ms. No. 4 on October 1, 2026. District Collectors must now publish notifications in English and Telugu District Gazettes, identifying the affected mandals. The classification gives the State a formal basis for drought-related administrative action, although the article does not specify a relief package.

What is a mandal, and how does it fit into Andhra Pradesh’s administrative structure?

A mandal is an administrative area within a district. It is smaller than a district and groups villages and, in some cases, towns for government administration. Andhra Pradesh uses mandals as practical units for delivering services, collecting information and implementing local programmes.

In this drought assessment, mandals were the units classified as severely or moderately affected. District Collectors submitted proposals covering mandals, and the State Drought Committee examined those proposals. The final notification requires each District Collector to identify the affected mandals in the District Gazette.

The article does not provide a detailed definition of mandal or describe every administrative level. It does establish the structure relevant here: Andhra Pradesh has 28 districts and 688 mandals, while the drought declaration covers 388 mandals in 21 districts. This makes the mandal the main local unit used for the declaration.

How far below normal was Andhra Pradesh’s rainfall, and what does a 53.4% rainfall deficit mean in practical terms?

Between June 1 and August 31, Andhra Pradesh recorded an average of 197.6 mm of rainfall. The normal amount for that period is 424.3 mm. The gap was therefore 226.7 mm, or 53.4% below normal. This is a large reduction during a crucial part of the kharif season.

In practical terms, the State received less than half its expected rainfall. Rainfall was about 46.6% of normal, leaving less water for soil moisture, crop growth, reservoirs and groundwater recharge. The government also examined dry spells, because long rain-free periods can damage crops even when seasonal totals appear less extreme.

The shortage was a central reason for the early drought declaration. Officials did not treat the deficit as an isolated statistic. They combined rainfall data with crop, vegetation, moisture, reservoir, groundwater and field evidence before identifying affected mandals and grading their severity.

What is a kharif drought, and why did the government declare it before the usual October 31 deadline?

A kharif drought is a drought affecting the rainy-season agricultural period, when crops depend heavily on monsoon rainfall. It matters because inadequate or poorly timed rain can reduce sowing, soil moisture and crop growth. The declaration formally identifies areas facing those conditions.

Normally, the government is required to declare a kharif drought by October 31. This year, it acted earlier after recording only 197.6 mm of rain against a normal 424.3 mm between June 1 and August 31. The State also considered relevant drought indicators and prevailing El Niño conditions.

The early decision was made through G.O. Ms. No. 4, published on October 1, 2026. District Collectors had submitted proposals, and the State Drought Committee scrutinised them on September 30 under the Government of India’s 2016 drought-management manual. Collectors must now publish the affected mandals.

What consequences can a drought declaration have for farmers, crops, water supplies and government relief measures?

A formal drought declaration signals that rainfall and related conditions have seriously affected defined areas. It can help governments target assistance, monitor crops and water, and coordinate relief for affected farmers and communities. The declaration itself does not automatically describe every measure that may follow.

For farmers, low rainfall can reduce sowing, soil moisture and crop yields. It can also increase dependence on irrigation. Reservoir storage and groundwater may come under pressure as rainfall remains low. In this case, the State assessed sown area, vegetation, moisture, reservoir storage and groundwater before classifying mandals by severity.

The article does not specify compensation, loan relief, drinking-water arrangements or crop insurance payments. It does state that District Collectors must publish official notifications naming affected mandals. Those notifications provide a formal administrative basis for any subsequent government response, but the exact measures are not given.

How did the State Drought Committee determine that the rainfall shortage had become a drought, rather than relying on rainfall totals alone?

The State Drought Committee treated drought as a broader condition than rainfall shortage. Under the Government of India’s Manual for Drought Management, 2016, it used three assessment stages. This helped connect weather conditions with actual effects on agriculture, water resources and the ground.

First came mandatory indicators, including rainfall deviation and dry spells. Next came impact indicators: the sown-area index, Remote Sensing or Vegetation Condition Index, Moisture Adequacy Index, Reservoir Storage Index and Ground Water Index. Finally, officials carried out ground truthing to check conditions on the ground.

The evidence came from several agencies. These included the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Agriculture and Horticulture departments, APSAC, the Irrigation Department, the Ground Water Audit Department and ANGRAU. District Collectors submitted proposals, and the committee scrutinised them on September 30 before the October 1 declaration.

What is El Niño, and how can a warming pattern in the Pacific Ocean affect monsoon rainfall in India?

El Niño is a recurring warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It changes atmospheric circulation and can affect weather far beyond the Pacific. In India, one possible effect is a weaker or less reliable southwest monsoon, although the outcome can vary by event and region.

The mechanism involves altered heat and air movement over the Pacific. Those changes can shift large-scale wind and pressure patterns, which may reduce moisture transport toward India or change when and where monsoon rain falls. If rain is delayed or uneven, crops and water resources can face added stress.

The Andhra Pradesh government cited prevailing El Niño conditions as one factor in the early kharif 2026 drought declaration. The article also reports a 53.4% rainfall deficit, with 197.6 mm recorded against a normal 424.3 mm. It does not quantify El Niño’s separate contribution to the deficit.

Key Facts:

📌 388 mandals across 21 districts were declared drought-affected.

📌 283 mandals were classified as severely drought-affected.

📌 105 mandals were classified as moderately drought-affected.

📌 A mandal is a sub-district administrative unit.

📌 Andhra Pradesh has 688 mandals across 28 districts.

📌 The drought declaration covers mandals in 21 districts.

📌 The State recorded 197.6 mm against normal rainfall of 424.3 mm.