Cherrapunji at a glance
Location: Meghalaya, India
Height: 4 thousand 869 feet
Population: 14 thousand 816 people
(Census 2011)
Official Language: Khasi
Rainfall: 11 thousand 777 mm
The original name of Cherrapunji was Sohra. Many call Cherrapunji in Bengali the Orange Island. In addition to oranges, many betel nut trees can be found in this hill town. Predominant with the Khasi tribe, the region receives abundant rainfall due to its natural location. Although there is continuous rain in monsoon, there is a shortage of food water at other times of the year. Cherrapunji has a higher literacy rate than the rest of India.
Cherrapunji rains on record
Cherrapunji is one of the rainiest areas in the world. Since record-keeping began, a single day in June has so far recorded more than 800 mm of rainfall nine times. Cherrapunji recorded the highest rainfall on 16 June 1995. On that day, 1 thousand 563.3 millimeters of rain fell in that area. The second highest rainfall occurred on June 5, 1956. 973.8 millimeters of rain fell that day. And in 2022, 972 mm of rain was recorded from the morning of June 16 to the morning of June 17; Which is the third highest in the history of 122 years.
The mountain fell in the rain
Cherrapunji was once the rainiest city in the world. Even though that fame has decreased, the rain has not decreased here. Whatever the old reckoning in the record books,Cherrapunji’s rains have washed away everything this year. About a thousand millimeters of rain fell there in one day. After 1995, there is no second record of maximum daily rainfall. In the hill town, heavy rains descend like fierce leopards, roaring like a lion is heard. The picture of Cherrapunji changed completely on the morning of Thursday, June 16. To everyone’s shock, everyone sees the terrible start of torrential rain. Cherrapunji recorded 972 mm of rain from 8:30 am to 8:30 am on Friday. About a thousand millimeters of rain falls here in just twenty four hours. Just two days ago, the city received 811 mm of rain in a single day. Where everyone was expecting the rain to stop; Then the opposite is the case in Cherrapunji. History shows that on June 16, 1995, 1,563 mm of rain fell in Cherrapunji. Just two days before this, the city received 930 mm of rain. According to the local meteorological officer, it is not unusual for Cherrapunji to receive 50-60 cm of rain in a day twice a year. But more than 80 cm of rain in a row like this is really unusual.
Why does it rain so much?
Due to its natural location, Cherrapunji is one of the main rainfed areas in the world. Rainfall in this region is said to be due to the water vapor air coming from the Indian Ocean hitting the southern slopes of the Himalayas. Then it is forced upwards. This wind pours water vapor in the form of heavy rain. Meghalaya Plateau receives heavy rainfall. Cherrapunji receives heavy rainfall from June to September. The region receives an average of 180 days of rain in a year. Cherrapunji and Assam in India received a total of 2500 mm of rain in just three days starting from last Thursday. According to meteorologists, a lot of water vapor from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea hit the eastern Himalayas and produced rain.
Mousinram is the house of clouds
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya state of India. The town of Mausinram is 56 km away from there. It is now recognized as the rainiest area in the world, surpassing Cherrapunji. Locals know Mausinram as the house of clouds. Tourists rush here to see this cloud game. Hill after hill, clouds rolling in its bosom, showers. There are wild flowers and orchids on both sides of the road. Mausinram has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the place with the highest rainfall. The annual average rainfall in this city is about 12 thousand millimeters. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the annual rainfall here in 1985 was 26 thousand millimeters. People say that once the rains start in this region during the monsoon, it is difficult to tell when it will stop. Sometimes weeks pass, the rain doesn’t stop.
Hearing the sound of the rain. That time is spent in great difficulty. It rains more or less throughout the year. Mousinram is very quiet, no noise at all. People movement is low. It is the main region of Khasi tribe. They live on the mountain. In all, thousands of people live here. Normal life becomes difficult when the monsoon rains begin. When it starts raining, water freezes everywhere. Roads are closed, schools and colleges are closed. After the rainy season, the picture of this city on the hill is different again. Then there was a shortage of food and water. Despite the record rainfall, the water table here is very low. People in hill towns have to come down from the mountains to find water. Locals store rainwater during monsoons.
More rainfed areas
Among the regions with the highest rainfall is Lalor, Colombia. It rains the most from August to December. At this time, rain continued for 11-12 consecutive days. The annual average rainfall here is 13 thousand 300 mm. One of the most attractive places in Hawaii is Mount Walialo surrounded by greenery. Millions of tourists come here every year just to see the rain-soaked beauty. The average annual rainfall here is 11,500 mm.