A wave of cloudbursts and flash floods has left a trail of destruction across the Himalayan region over the last few weeks, reigniting concern over the accelerating impact of climate change, deforestation and glacial lake outbursts in the world’s youngest mountain range.
Tragedy struck the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Sunday, where at least seven people were killed in flooding caused by a sudden cloudburst. Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir are also battling the aftermath of the recent cloudburst in Kishtwar district on Thursday, where flash floods swept through several villages, damaging bridges, destroying livestock and forcing families to flee their homes. Rescue teams were pressed into service as rising waters cut off road access to many parts of the district.
On August 5, a powerful cloudburst devastated Dharali village, located just two kilometres from the Uttarakhand hill town of Harsil, sweeping away residential buildings, shops and roads. Five people were confirmed dead and dozens remain missing. Harsil, which also hosts a significant Indian Army base, has become one of the worst-hit areas this monsoon season.
In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, Thunag in Mandi district has been facing severe water shortages after cloudbursts washed away water pipelines, transformers and other essential infrastructure.
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Experts warn that the Himalayas remain acutely vulnerable to high-intensity floods due to their steep topography and fragile geology. The increase in extreme rainfall events, glacial meltwater and land-use changes is believed to have created conditions ripe for disaster.
A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that flash floods in the region are triggered by a dangerous mix of cloudbursts, glacial lake outbursts, deforestation and rapid urbanisation.
“In the Himalayan region, the primary trigger for these abrupt floods is often linked to instances of cloud bursts accompanied by heavy rainfall episodes,” the study noted.
Following the Dharali tragedy, some experts also raised the possibility of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), citing rising meltwater volumes caused by global warming. The Kedarnath disaster in 2013, which claimed over 6,000 lives, was also traced to a glacial lake burst combined with unseasonal monsoon rains.
A separate 2023 study warned that the number of glacial lakes worldwide has increased by 50 per cent since 1990, with nearly a million people in Asia now living within a 10-km radius of one. “It could happen at any point, that’s what makes them particularly dangerous,” the study’s authors noted.
With experts calling for urgent climate action and stronger early warning systems, the recent events are seen as a stark reminder of the fragile state of the Himalayas and the growing risks posed to communities living downstream.
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