SOHRA, Meghalaya: World’s wettest place, Sohra aka Cherrapunjee, has received bountiful rain this year breaching its 3500 mm mark of rainfall for the month of June, a first after 13 years.
Residents of this hill top town said there was almost continuous rainfall since June 1 and thick fog and clouds prevented them from sighting the sun.
The last time they experienced warmth was a meager one hour of sunshine two days ago.
“We have recorded 3718.6 mm of rainfall for the month of June. This amount has already breached an average 2500 mm of rainfall for the same month,” V Kumar Singh, head of the meteorological office here told PTI.
The last time rainfall here breached the 3500 mm mark was in 2002 when it recorded 3893 mm, he said.
According to Kumar, if it continues to rain at the same pace, this year Sohra will surely break its record of 4269 mm of rainfall almost 20 years ago in 1998.
Local residents said rainfall has been so intense that they have to stay indoors for most parts of the day except when there is an emergency.
“We are used to getting rainfall. But this year, it was extraordinary I guess. I and my family enjoyed sunshine only for an hour on since June 1,” Mimi Hujon said.
Intense rainfall ensured that the monthly average of 2500 mm was crossed within the first ten days of June, Kumar said.
Sohra’s rival Mawsynram, which has been stealing the show for several years in the past, is clearly losing the rain battle this year.
Until yesterday Mawsynram town which is about 10 km west of here recorded only 3429 mm of rainfall, an official at the Met office in Guwahati said.–PTI
