What caused the floods in Maharashtra and why are they significant

Experts say the Arabian sea, which brought the bulk of the rains this time, has seen a rise in its surface temperature over the years, pointing to global warming

After a dry June, a rain-filled July greeted farmers in India, and cleared the rain deficit, making the 2019 season a normal monsoon. But August did more than just that. In less than two weeks, many places in the western, south-western, central and north-western states of the country received more rainfall that they normally receive in the whole month. 

This caused floods in regions where it was least expected: western Maharashtra districts of Kolhapur and Sangli, and northern Karnataka’s Belgaum. These districts are adjacent to each other, and fall on the leeward side of the Western Ghats. 

But how did