Experts are saying that the wanton destruction of the forest cover could be responsible for the yearly drought in the area. Mawsynram is a tiny mountainous tribal hamlet in the northeastern Indian federal state of Meghalaya. It claimed the international spotlight some four years back, when meteorologists declared it received the maximum rainfall in the world. This has severely affected the 5,000 tribal people in the area. So, the area is soaking wet from June to early September, but absolutely dry from mid-September until February.
Water shortages prevail during the winter, with natural springs and streams drying up.
Cherrapunji holds a number of world records, recording the highest rainfall in twelve months, eleven months, six months, one month and fifteen days. This may seem a low price by Western standards, but the purchasing power of villagers in India is low, and the idea of having to buy water is shocking to many. Researchers have been quoted saying that these areas are showing signs of desertification, as incessant rain washes away the thin layer of soil, leaving very little topsoil for the growth of vegetation. There are also no underground storages to draw from. Devastation of the forest cover is being blamed.