Erratic Southwest Monsoon Rains May Leave Nilgiris Parched

The Nilgiris are hills that usually get a lot of rain in June and July.

This year, the rain did not come as much as it normally does.

The rainy season, called the southwest monsoon, lasts from June to September.

By August 10, the hills had received only 384 millimeters of rain instead of the usual 525 millimeters.

That means about 28 percent less rain than normal.

The town of Ooty got far less rain than the rest of the hills.

If the rain does not improve, town residents could have trouble getting enough drinking water.

Some parts of the hills, like the western side, did receive good rain, which helped their water reservoirs.

The Parson's Valley reservoir, the main source of drinking water for Ooty, has been getting helpful rain recently.

People are hoping the rest of the season brings enough rain to make up for the dry start.