Mawsynram, located in the northeast of India, is known as the region with the highest rainfall in the world. This region, which has managed to enter the Guinness Book of Records, receives an average of 11,871 mm of rain annually. Due to heavy rainfall, the region is covered with lush forests, impressive waterfalls and natural caves carved by water. This unique geography attracts attention as one of the rainiest places in the world.
The place with the most rain in the world known as MawsynramIt is located in the northeastern state of Meghalaya in India. Receiving an average of 11,871 mm of rain every year Guinness Book of RecordsThis region, which managed to penetrate into , holds this record as the moisture coming from the Bay of Bengal rises up to 1500 meters in the Khasi Mountains and turns into rain. These lands, where rainfall is abundant, are full of natural beauties.
World’s Second Rainfall Record Holder: Cherrapunji
MawsynramJust a few kilometers from Cherrapunji, locally known as Sohra, second wettest region in the world has the title. The amount of rainfall in the area is only 100 mm less than Mawsynram. However, the records for the wettest month and year ever recorded still belong to Cherrapunji. With 9,300 mm of precipitation recorded in July 1861, this region experienced the wettest month in history, and since August 1860, it received a total of 26,470 mm of precipitation, earning it the title of wettest region.
Life in Meghalaya: Resistance to Rain
meghalaya People living in these regions of the province are protected by umbrellas made of reeds against the rain, which almost never ceases throughout the year. Excessive rainfall makes agriculture impossible, while roads and bridges need constant repair. Instead of traditional building materials, local people use bridges made by braiding the roots of rubber trees into bamboo sticks. These bridges, which can take up to 10 years to become fully functional, can last up to 500 years and have become the symbol of a lifestyle in harmony with nature.
Is Colombia a Candidate for Rainfall Record Holder?
Another place that competes with India’s Mawsynram and Cherrapunji regions for the title of wettest place in the world Colombiais. Although the city of Lloro in northwestern Colombia received 13,474 mm of precipitation in 1952 and 1954, these measurements were not officially accepted because they were made using old methods. Additionally, the average annual rainfall in the Puerto Lopez region, located on the other side of the Andes, reaches 12,892 mm. However, since rainfall data are missing in some years, it has become difficult to officially compare this region with the wettest regions in the world.
Colombia’s Puerto Lopez The region receives rainfall for approximately 320 days a year, as moisture from the Pacific Ocean hits the Andes Mountains. Although this heavy rainfall makes the region one of the rainiest places in the world, comparisons with other regions cannot be made due to the lack of long-term and regular measurements. This is a factor that prevents the region from becoming a record holder.
Decision of the World Meteorological Organization
The controversy over competition for precipitation started in 2014. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) put an end to it. According to WMO, the 2493 mm rainfall recorded in Cherrapunji on 15-16 June 1995 holds the two-day world record. This has once again confirmed that Meghalaya is the leader in rainfall. The main reason why the region receives such heavy rainfall is the moisture carried to south and southeast Asia by monsoon winds. The monsoon season, which lasts from May to October, reaches its peak in July and 90 percent of the annual rainfall occurs during this period.
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