Cloudbers in Uttarakhand: What does it mean, why this happens and which parts of India are at the highest risk

Last update:August 29, 2025, 14:38 IST

From Uttarakhand to Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir, extreme monsoon rains have repeatedly exposed flash floods and landslides in the Himalayas.

On Friday, CloudBerstas flowed the debris Rudraprayag and Uttarakhand of Chamoli districtTwo people missing and many families were trapped. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the incidents took place in Barath Dungar Tok region of Busakedar tehsil and Deval area of ​​Chamoli. The mud and debris immersed a large part of Barath Taljaman in Basukdar, cut the reach and inspired emergency shelter for displaced families.

Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed that two people were inaccessible, several roads were closed, and the loss of livestock was reported. The state government said that rescue and relief operations were going on with the Chief Minister on the basis of war with the Chief Minister.

This is not an isolated incident. From Kedarnath to Kullu, Claudbers have become a recurring feature of the Himalayan monsoon of India. They attack with a little warning, dump unimaginable versions of water in minutes, and often leave the mark of destruction behind.

So is it really a cloudburst and why is India striking more often with more force in extreme weather events?

What is cloudburst?

A cloudburst is a highly localized, acute rainfall occur that is defined by the Meteorological Department of India, which receives more than 100 mm of rain in an hour in an area of ​​about 30 square kilometers or less. While the number may be different, the effect is often the same: rapid drainage, floods, landslides, and widespread damage within minutes.

Contrary to continuous monsoon rain, a cloudburst saves the value of rainy days at once. Because the area often cannot absorb this sudden volume, the result is a bounce of water that runs under the slopes, participating in the valleys and built areas.

What is the reason for a cloudburst?

A cloudburst occurs when a large amount of moisture in the air suddenly falls as heavy rainfall in a short time, usually within minutes. It is the most common in hills or mountainous regions like Himalayas.

Here is described how it works: During the monsoon, the hot air takes too much moisture from the oceans and plains. When this air collides with a mountain, it is forced to get up. As it goes up, it becomes cooler. Cooling causes moisture and dense clouds are formed.

Generally, clouds slowly rain and release rain. But in a cloudburst, the clouds get stuck in one place, and the increasing hot air below keeps feeding them with more moisture. At some point, clouds can no longer hold the weight of water, and they leave it at once.

In steep valleys, it is not anywhere to spread down suddenly. So, it runs downwards in narrow streams, triggering flash floods, landslides and flowers that can erase homes and roads in minutes.

Why are cloudbursts happening more often in India?

Many scientific studies and weather records suggest an increase in both the frequency and intensity of cloudbukes in the Himalayan region, especially in the last two decades. One of the main drivers is the warming atmosphere.

According to Anil Kulkarni of the De VoCa Center for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science, the increasing temperature increases the air moisture-catching capacity, which increases the amount of rainfall when the condensation increases.

Talk to Hindustan TimesKulkarni said, “Due to high slope, the mountainous regions are connected to the movement of the wind upwards. As atmospheric moisture is moved upwards, it increases the size of water drops.

July 2024 study published Journal of the Geological Society of India Uttarakhand was recognized as a hotspot for extreme events, a notable growth in cloudbers and after 2010 after the flash flood. In another review of another 2025 Springer nature Growing trends were found between 1970 and 2024 in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Which parts of India are the weakest?

Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir’s Himalayan states and parts of Ladakh are the most prone to cloudbursts, especially during the South -West monsoon season from June to September. These regions combine the ideal situation for high mountains, steep slopes and narrow river valleys, sudden, intense rainfall, causing flash floods and landslides.

IMD records and case studies from disaster agencies highlight the following events:

• 2013 Kedarnath Flood: More than 6,000 killed after a cloudburst and 4,500 villages affected, causing flash floods and landslides.
• 2019 Arkot Disaster: 19 deaths and more than 38 villages affected a cloudburst at Arakot Nala in Uttarkashi.
• 2023–2025: Increasing incidence in Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Nainital, Chamoli and Rudraprayag. The August 5, 2025 Dharli incident in Uttarakhand is suspected to be associated with the collapse of a hanging glacier.

The Indian Institute of Science has identified 219 hanging glaciers in Alakanand and Bhagirathi basins. They are rapidly unstable due to global warming, which increases the risk of sudden floods.

Is climate change responsible?

Cloudbers are natural meteorological events, but many climate scientists say that human-inspired global warming is making them more frequent and intense. Research cited in Science (2006) showed increasing trends in excessive rainfall events across India in the late 20th century. 2013 a study on Kedarnath Flood, published Climate mobility In 2015, more than half of the founded rainfall was connected to greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols.

Talking to Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorological Roxy Matthew Cole, CNNSaid: “Hot oceans are loading monsoon with extra moisture, and a warm environment keeps more water, when moist air is forced to stand up mountain slopes, promotes rapid rainfall.”

With monsoon dynamics shifting, long -term dried mantras are experiencing an optik in disastrous cloudbers due to low rains, the Himalayan region.

Why are these incidents so destructive?

In the Himalayas, steep gradients and funnel of narrow valleys rapidly downwards in rain water. If there is a cloudburst in a mountainous region, there are some escape routes in concentrated runoff, causing floods, landslides and destruction of anything on its way.

Another major issue is the place of several settlements and infrastructure projects in weak areas. Manish Shrestha, a hydrologist at the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, told Hindustan Times On August 5, the damage in the Dharli incident had deteriorated due to “dense settlements near Riverbank on the way to the river”.

Forest harvesting, road construction, and activities of activities in delicate mountain areas are further destroyed and reduced land capacity to absorb rain. This increases the effect of moderate cloudbers.

Can Cloudbers be predicted?

The forecast cloudbers are a major scientific challenge. Their small spatial scale, sudden onset, and brief duration makes them difficult to find out in advance using traditional models.

According to the Meteorological Department of India, radars can detect the construction of dense clouds and give short -term warnings, but it is not yet possible to predict the exact time and location of Claudburst. To improve the initial warning systems, Doppler Weather radar has been installed in different parts of the Himalayas. Additional observatories have been installed to collect hyperlocal atmospheric data.

Despite this, communication and evacuation challenges remain, especially in remote, high altitude areas where access is limited and warning time is low.

What can be done to reduce risk?

Experts and disaster management officials have put up several recommendations to reduce the influence of cloudbursts in India:

• Avoiding construction in flood-prone areas and implementing zoning restrictions.
• Forest and protection of natural wetlands to improve water absorption.
• Strengthen embankments before the monsoon season, check the dams and drainage systems.
• Establishing Doppler radar, lightening sensor and real-time data system in dangerous areas.
• Monitor glacial lakes and hanging glaciers to detect instability.
• Improvement in community-level initial warning communication through decentralized systems.

A 2022 study by the Geological Society of India asked for pre-transfer of families to weak areas, stating that such measures should be well implemented before the onset of monsoon. The Vadiya Institute of Himalayan Geology has also suggested using dangerous zone maps and satellite data to plan infrastructure in high -risk areas.

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