Nature’s fury
Jammu and Kashmir has been facing a massive downpour during the past month. Even the month of September has started on a wet note as the MeT officials warned of heavy rainfall during the first week of the month.
The situation may show some improvement but for the time being the situation continues to be critical and worrisome as well as the nature if exhibiting its furious face across the length and breadth of the region.
Ironically, the UT faced one of its harshest August in living memory as a series of cloudbursts, flash floods, and record-breaking rains left a trail of devastation. From Kishtwar to Reasi and down to the plains of Jammu, even the Kashmir Valley lives were lost, property destroyed, and thousands displaced — underlining the region’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather.
The deadliest blow came on August 14, when a massive cloudburst struck Chositi village in Kishtwar district along the Machail Mata pilgrimage route. Within minutes, flash floods swept through the area, destroying houses, washing away roads, and killing at least 60 people.
More than 300 were injured, while dozens of people remained missing days after the disaster. Rescue teams, including the Army, SDRF, and NDRF, battled difficult terrain to retrieve bodies and evacuate stranded pilgrims.
Just over a week later, on August 25, Jammu city was hit by an extraordinary 190.4 mm of rain in just 24 hours — the second-highest August rainfall in more than a century. Streets turned into rivers, schools and examinations were suspended, and low-lying neighbourhoods were left submerged. Reasi and Ramban districts also witnessed multiple landslides and cloudbursts, adding to the mounting toll.
The situation in Kashmir region is also alarming as the incessant rains inundate streets and roads within no time. The scenario in the upper reaches becomes all the more ferocious as cloudbursts and huge downpour fills streams with massive amounts of water which rushes downstream wiping away all that comes in its way.
Notably, scientists have repeatedly warned that J&K’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem is bearing the brunt of global warming. These are not isolated incidents. Climate change is amplifying the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts and flash floods.
Even disaster management specialists stress the urgent need for early warning systems and resilient infrastructure. Besides, ensuring the need for studying cloudburst causes by using data analytics and artificial intelligence.
Importantly, the need for a critical review of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) early warning system, and close synergy between the meteorological department and the National Disaster Management Authority for a joint study highlighting the relationship between the tendencies leading to cloudbursts and moisture content in clouds, identify causes, and establish an early warning system, should be a priority.
