Meghalaya gets 972 mm of rain, highest in 27 yrs
June 17, 2022  15:52
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Just two days after recording 811.6 mm of rainfall in a day, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya received a bountiful 972 mm of precipitation in 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Friday, the highest in June since 1995, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. 

 One of the wettest places in the world, Cherrapunji has recorded more than 800 mm of precipitation on a June day on nine occasions since the IMD started keeping records, the IMD data showed. Till Friday, Cherrapunji has received a total of 4081.3 mm rainfall this month, Sunit Das, Scientist E at IMD's regional centre in Guwahati, said. In 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Wednesday, the town nestled in the East Khasi Hills gauged a copious 811.2 mm of rainfall. 

 On June 16, 1995, Cherrapunji logged 1563.3 mm of rainfall. A day before, on June 15, 1995, it received 930 mm of precipitation. "It doesn't always rain like this. 50-60 cm is normal (in Cherrapunji) once or twice every year. But 80 cm and above is certainly not usual," Das told PTI. 

 "A trough has been persisting over the region for some days and southwesterly winds have been continuously bringing a lot of moisture from the Bay of Bengal. These winds smash against the cliffs of the Khai hills and give rainfall," he said. 

 Cherrapunji recorded 673.6 mm of rainfall on Thursday, 811.6 mm on Wednesday, 62.6 mm on Tuesday, 293 mm on Monday and 354 mm on Sunday. The spell of extreme rainfall is likely to continue for one or two days. Thereafter, the intensity will decrease, the scientist said. At an aerial distance of 10 km from Cherrapunji, Mawsynram, the wettest place in India, gauged 710.6 mm of rainfall in 24 hours ending 8:30 am Wednesday, the maximum since June 1966.

 On June 10, 1966, Mawsynram had recorded 717.6 mm of rainfall. On June 7, 1966, it had received 944.7 mm of precipitation, the highest on a June day since the IMD began maintaining records. The town had gauged a 24-hour rainfall of 623.4 mm on June 8, 2015.
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