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The winter monsoon brings moist air from the South China Sea to areas like Indonesia and Malaysia. Unlike the western part of Southeast Asia, the eastern, Pacific coast of Southeast Asia experiences its rainy season in the winter. Not all winter monsoons are dry, however. Winter monsoons are sometimes associated with droughts. The Himalayas also prevent much of the cool air from reaching places like southern India and Sri Lanka, keeping them warm all year. Winter monsoons are less powerful than summer monsoons in Southeast Asia, in part because the Himalaya Mountains prevent much of the wind and moisture of the monsoons from reaching the coast. These winds start in the air above Mongolia and northwestern China. The dry winter monsoon blows from the northeast. The Indian Oceans winter monsoon, which lasts from October to April, is less well-known than its rainy summer equivalent.
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On July 26, 2005, the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, received almost a meter (39.1 inches) of rain. Flooding in Maharashtra killed more than 1,000 people. Then, the monsoon rains hit the state of Maharashtra. As the summer monsoon blew in from the southwest, it first hit the state of Gujarat. In 2005, a strong monsoon devastated western India. In rural areas, mudslides can bury villages and destroy crops. In cities like Mumbai, entire neighborhoods can be drowned. However, when the summer monsoon is stronger than expected, floods can devastate the region. Residents of such urban areas as Mumbai, India, are used to the streets flooding with almost half a meter (1.5 feet) of water every summer. Heavy summer monsoons can cause great damage.
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The summer monsoon has been called Indias true finance minister. Electricity becomes more expensive, sometimes limiting development to large businesses and wealthy individuals. Fewer people can grow their own food, and large agribusinesses do not have produce to sell. When the summer monsoon is late or weak, the regions economy suffers. Electricity powers hospitals, schools, and businesses that help the economies of these areas develop. A great deal of electricity in the region is produced by hydroelectric power plants, which are driven by water collected during the monsoons. Industry in India and Southeast Asia also relies on the summer monsoon. Dairy farms, which help make India the largest milk producer in the world, also depend on the monsoon rains to keep cows healthy and well-fed. Rice and tea are some crops that rely on the summer monsoon. The summer monsoon fills wells and aquifers for the rest of the year. Aquifers, or supplies of underground water, are shallow. Many areas in these countries do not have large irrigation systems surrounding lakes, rivers, or snowmelt areas. Agriculture, for example, relies on the yearly rain. India and Southeast Asia depend on the summer monsoon. The summer monsoon brings a humid climate and torrential rainfall to these areas. As winter ends, warm, moist air from the southwest Indian Ocean blows toward countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. It usually happens between April and September. The summer monsoon is associated with heavy rainfall. The summer monsoon and the winter monsoon determine the climate for most of India and Southeast Asia. Monsoons always blow from cold to warm regions. Monsoons are most often associated with the Indian Ocean. Monsoons cause wet and dry seasons throughout much of the tropics. A monsoon is a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing, or strongest, winds of a region.
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