After a long wait, the skies finally opened up to lash the drought-hit Marathwada region of Maharashtra with monsoon rains.

Beed, the most affected district in the region saw 16.9 mm rains and farmers breathed a sigh of relief.

Marathwada has just 0.47 per cent water stock left in its dams and the administration hopes that continuous showers would change the picture in the coming weeks.

Three talukas in Aurangabad district including Aurangabad, Fulambri and Kultabad received heavy rains, and the Girija, Phulmasta and Dudhna rivers were overflowing.

In Beed, good rains were received in Kej, Hool and Harishandra Pimpri regions. Jalna and Latur districts also received monsoon rains.

The region with a population of 1.87 crore has been in the grip of a dry spell as all major rivers including Godavari Purna, Sindhphana, Bindusara, Shivna have no water.

Kharif crop

The kharif crop withered and hence many farmers did not sow winter crops. All major crops, including maize, soya, cotton, mosambi, pulses, groundnut suffered due to poor rainfall in the last season.

Groundwater levels have depleted with even borewells dug upto 300-500 ft not getting water.

Water tanker supply

Even as rains started, farmers demanded that the government continue with water tanker supply and fodder camps in the region.

Over 3,539 tankers are plying in the region to quench the thirst of 3,344 villages and hamlets. Meanwhile other drought affected areas in the State including Nashik and Ahmednagar also received rains.

In Pathardi in Ahmednagar 15 fodder camps were closed following showers.

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