Asia’s monsoon rains are good and bad. The heavy seasonal rains are great for farmers. Crops need the water in order to grow. In 1770, India had no monsoons. Ten million people starved to death.
On the other hand, monsoons also cause floods. They can destroy crops. More important, floods can wash away whole towns and villages. In 2013, Northern India suffered the deadliest monsoon floods on record. About 5,700 people died.
Rainy weather is a powerful force all over. On average, floods kill around 140 Americans each year.
