- Cloudbursts and flash floods recently devastated UK's Dharali village causing deaths & missing persons
- Cloudburst-induced flooding in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district killed at least seven people
- Himalayan floods linked to climate change, deforestation, glacial lake outbursts, and monsoon rains
Over the last few weeks, multiple incidents of cloudbursts, flash floods and extreme precipitation have been reported across India, especially in the Himalayan region. On August 5, a major cloudburst in Uttarakhand devastated the Dharali village, located two kilometres from Harsil, which is a popular tourist destination and also has a huge Indian army base. Multiple houses, commercial buildings were swept in the mudwater as authorities reported five deaths and dozens missing.
Since July, Thunag in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district is facing a water crisis after cloudbursts and floods washed away machinery, water pipes, and transformers used to extract and supply clean water. Similar has been the case in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, where at least seven people were killed due to flooding caused by a cloudburst in a remote village.
The Himalayas, owing to their massive size and elevated altitude, possess unique geological characteristics that render them vulnerable to sudden and intense floods. With temperatures across the planet increasing due to global warming, the frequency and intensity of such incidents hint that a red alert may have been triggered in the region.
What is causing it?
A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports highlighted that these flash floods are the outcome of a combination of natural and human factors, including geological movements, glacial lakes, steep topography, deforestation, alterations in land usage, and the monsoon season.
"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 highlighted.
After the Dharali cloudurst, some experts claimed that the possibility of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) cannot be ruled out. The increase in the volume of meltwater in glacial lakes, primarily due to climate change, not only changes the local topography but also threatens the population living nearby such bodies.
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The 2013 Kedarnath floods that took the lives of over 6,000 was caused by the flooding of a glacial lake as record unseasonal monsoon rains and cloud bursts added to the glacier lake outburst.
According to a 2023 study conducted by Newcastle University and published in the journal Nature Communications, the world's glaciers have lost 332 gigatonnes of glacier ice every year between 2006 and 2016. Since 1990, the number of glacial lakes across the world has increased by 50 per cent.
The study assessed the living conditions of the people living downstream from the glacial lakes and found that those living in India, Pakistan, China and Peru faced the greatest threat. In Asia, around a million people lived within a 10-kilometre radius of a glacial lake.
'There are a large number of people globally exposed to the impacts of these floods. It could happen at any point - that's what makes them particularly dangerous, because it's hard to predict exactly when they will happen," the study authors stated.
There is an urgent need for climate action and proactive measures to address the rising risks of flash floods. Experts suggest that by integrating advanced technology, scientific research, and community engagement, a more resilient preparedness network can be build to tackle extreme weather events.
