Torrential rains in Jammu and Kashmir have once again exposed the fragile state of India’s Himalayas triggering flash floods and landslides that scientists say are becoming alarmingly frequent. Experts link this rise in extreme weather to both climate change and haphazard development across the mountains.
The most recent flooding in J\&K follows the August 5 disaster in Uttarakhand Dharali region, believed to have been sparked by a glacier collapse. Heavy rainfall also battered Kullu, Shimla, Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh this week, continuing a worrying trend across the Western Himalayas.
Why Cloudbursts Are Becoming More Frequent
Research since 2017 has consistently shown an uptick in flash floods and cloudbursts. Scientists explain that warmer air holds more moisture, which, when lifted rapidly over mountains, produces intense downpours.
“Higher temperature increases the water-holding capacity of the air. As moisture rises along steep slopes, it accumulates into larger droplets and eventually bursts as extreme rainfall,” said Anil Kulkarni, visiting scientist at the Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science.
A July study in the Journal of Geological Society of India tracked four decades of data in Uttarakhand, showing a clear rise in extreme weather since 2010. Another 2025 Springer Nature review confirmed the growing frequency of cloudbursts from 1970–2024 across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh with Uttarakhand emerging as the most vulnerable.
Past events underline the devastation: in August 2019, a cloudburst in Uttarkashi Arakot killed 19 and affected 38 villages, with floods and landslides destroying homes and farmland across 70 square kilometres.
Glaciers Retreating, Risks Rising
Glacial instability adds another layer of danger. Experts suspect a “hanging glacier” collapse fueled the Dharali floods this month. The Divecha Centre has mapped 219 such hanging glaciers in Uttarakhand’s Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins, warning that global warming is pushing many towards dangerous collapse.
Poor planning worsens the toll. Hydrologist Manish Shrestha of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development stressed that dense settlements and hotels built along riverbanks fall directly in the path of flash floods. “We should have a safe zone for buildings and habitations. Zonation is crucial in such regions,” he said.
A 2024 study led by Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology and IMD noted that the Himalayas’ massive topography, combined with human interference, leaves them highly vulnerable to rain-driven landslides and floods.
Preparing for an Uncertain Future
Indian scientists have long called for stronger disaster preparedness. Recommendations include check dams, relocation of people from high-risk areas before monsoon, and installation of Doppler radars and lightning sensors for real-time warnings.
The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has urged policymakers to strengthen early warning systems and rethink construction in fragile zones to reduce future tragedies.
Interestingly while India Himalayas are witnessing more extreme rainfall, neighbouring Nepal shows a contrasting pattern. A 2024 study of data from 1971–2015 found daily extreme rainfall declining overall, with wetter conditions in its western mountains but drier trends in the east after 2003.
For India, though the message is clear: as the climate warms, the Himalayas are becoming a hotspot of extreme weather, and without better planning and preparedness, disasters like those in Dharali and J\&K may only become more frequent.