reported in Odisha during 2005. Rain The average annual precipitation of in the village of Mawsynram, in the hilly northeastern state of Meghalaya, is the highest recorded in Asia, and possibly on Earth. The village, which sits at an elevation of , benefits from its proximity to both the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal. However, since the town of Cherrapunji, to the east, is the nearest town to host a meteorological office—none has ever existed in Mawsynram—it is officially credited as being the world's wettest place. In recent years the Cherrapunji-Mawsynram region has averaged between of rain annually, though Cherrapunji has had at least one period of daily rainfall that lasted almost two years. India's highest recorded one-day rainfall total occurred on 26 July 2005, when Mumbai received ; the massive flooding that resulted killed over 900 people. Snow Remote regions of Jammu and Kashmir such as Baramulla district in the east and the Pir Panjal Range in the southeast experience exceptionally heavy snowfall. Kashmir's highest recorded monthly snowfall occurred in February 1967, when fell in Gulmarg, though the IMD has recorded snowdrifts up to in several Kashmiri districts. In February 2005, more than 200 people died when, in four days, a western disturbance brought up to of snowfall to parts of the state. Climate change Atmospheric pollution Thick haze and smoke originating from burning biomass in northwestern India and air pollution from large industrial cities in northern India often concentrate over the Ganges Basin. Prevailing westerlies carry aerosols along the southern margins of the sheer-faced Tibetan Plateau towards eastern India and the Bay of Bengal. Dust and black carbon, which are blown towards higher altitudes by winds at the southern margins of the Himalayas, can absorb shortwave radiation and heat the air over the Tibetan Plateau. The net atmospheric heating due to aerosol absorption causes the air to warm and convect upwards, increasing the concentration of moisture in the mid-troposphere and providing positive feedback that stimulates further heating of aerosols. See also Geography of India Borders of India Extreme points of India Exclusive economic zone of India List of disputed territories of India Outline of India Notes Citations References Articles Books Items Other Further reading . External links General overview Maps, imagery, and statistics Forecasts India