A youth walks across a dried-up pond to fetch drinking water from a well at Gaadhepalem near Ongole, where the village tank has run dry and the RO plant has stopped working. File | Photo Credit: Kommuri Srinivas
The Andhra Pradesh government has declared an early kharif 2026 drought in 388 mandals across 21 districts, classifying 283 mandals as severely drought-affected and 105 as moderately drought-affected, citing a 53.4% rainfall deficit during June-August and prevailing El Niño conditions.
More than 56% of the State’s 688 mandals in 28 districts have been declared drought-affected.
The declaration was made through G.O. Ms. No. 4, published by G. Sai Prasad, Special Chief Secretary (FAC), Revenue (Disaster Management) Department, on October 1, 2026, following detailed scrutiny of proposals submitted by district Collectors and recommendations of the State Drought Committee. The committee met on September 30 and assessed the proposals in accordance with the Government of India’s Manual for Drought Management, 2016.
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