Jammu and Kashmir: Cloudburst triggered flash floods leaving four dead in Doda

The sudden, heavy downpour triggered flash floods that damaged more than 10 houses, officials told India Today.

Heavy rainfall was reported from several regions of Jammu and Kashmir in recent times, including Kathua, Samba, Doda, Jammu, Ramban and Kishtwar districts.

Amid inclement weather, all government and private schools in Jammu division remained shut.

"There is a flood alert in the Jammu region, and people are advised to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas," a senior official told the Indian news channel.

Recent natural calamities in the Himalayan belt

The flash flood triggered by a cloudburst in Chashoti village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district left at least 60 people dead this month.

A cloud burst and resultant massive landslide in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village in Uttarakhand earlier this month left at least four people dead.

What is a cloudburst?

A cloudburst is a sudden, copious rainfall. It is an aggressive rainstorm that occurs over a short period of time and is limited to a small geographical area, as per the Kurseong Municipality website.

Meteorologists say the rain from a cloudburst is usually of the shower type, with a fall rate equal to or greater than 100 mm (4.94 inches) per hour.

Generally, cloudbursts are associated with thunderstorms. The air currents rushing upwards in a rainstorm hold up a large amount of water.

During a cloudburst, more than 2 cm of rain may fall within a few minutes. They are called ‘bursts’ probably because it was earlier believed that clouds were solid masses full of water. So, these violent storms were attributed to their bursting.

There is no satisfactory technique for anticipating the occurrence of cloudbursts because of their small scale.