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Rain is an increasingly valuable resource

The Nepalese pray for it, the British moan about it. This is how various places coped with their weather on 25 April

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Celebrating rain
The chariot of Rato Machhindranath, known as the God of Rain, is pulled through the streets during the chariot festival in Lalitpur on Wednesday 25 April.
By Steff Gaulter
Published On 26 Apr 2012
Calling the God of Rain
According to legend, Rato Machhindranath was brought by a farmer from Assam, India, to Lalitpur Valley in Nepal to prevent a drought during the rice season.
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A towering chariot
The chariot festival is one of the oldest and longest festivals celebrated in the Katmandu valley.
Standing room only
Hindus and Buddhists worship Machhindranath to pray for good rain to prevent drought during the rice harvest season.
The rains were already falling in Colombo
Whilst the Nepalese prayed for rain, an active low pressure brought heavy rain and strong winds to many parts of Sri Lanka.
The show must go on
Despite the strong winds and heavy rain, the football match still went ahead.
Sheltering from the storm
South Asia is expected to receive average monsoon rains in 2012, easing fears of a drought in Sri Lanka or India.
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Western Europe was also lashed by rain
Wednesday 25 April was a wet day for most of western Europe. Although the windy wet weather made for a miserable day for those commuting, the rain is much needed, with must of western Europe being in the grip of a drought.
Strong winds added to the misery
People sheltering from the rain were not helped by the strong winds, which were gusting over 75kph in parts of western Europe.
Who needs a brolly?
To prevent his umbrella turning inside-out, a copy of the Financial Times newspaper is used by this business man, although its waterproof qualities are questionable.
More rain on its way
Whilst some places were inundated, other parts of the globe were still waiting for their rain. The residents in Los Angeles were hopeful that a downpour would bring an end to the muggy weather.