Mangaluru : Coastal Karnataka, which is endowed with many west-flowing rivers, has been facing an acute water crisis since April this year, with almost all rivers having dried up and groundwater level depleted considerably.

The region used to get normal pre-monsoon showers of up to 60 mm between January and April, but this year it got just 8 mm rainfall — a deficit of 87 per cent.

Majority of the rivers in the region, including Dakshina Kannada’s lifeline Nethravati, Phalguni (Gurupura), Nandini, Swarna, Varahi, Sharavati, Aghanashini, and Kali, have almost dried up.

While groundwater has considerably depleted in the coastal region, farmers, with no other recourse, have become hapless to witness dying crops, including arecanut and coconut plantations.