Source: The post Extreme weather events increase risks in Jammu and Kashmir has been created, based on the article “Rain and flash floods in J&K” published in “Indian Express” on 16th August 2025
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 1- Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones. etc
Context: At least 65 people were killed and more than 50 went missing after a flash flood in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir. The tragedy highlights the growing occurrence of extreme weather events in the region, driven by rising temperatures, changing western disturbances, and its fragile mountainous topography.
For detailed information on Rising flash flood risks threaten fragile Himalayan regions read this article here
Extreme Weather in Jammu & Kashmir
- Frequency and Impact: Between 2010 and 2022, J&K recorded 2,863 extreme weather events that caused 552 deaths, according to a 2024 IMD study. Thunderstorms and heavy rains were the most frequent, while flash floods, landslides, and snowstorms also struck regularly.
- Patterns of Disasters: The study noted 1,942 thunderstorms, 409 heavy rain events, 186 landslides, and 168 flash floods. Heavy snow, though only 42 times, killed 182 people, the highest toll of any single event type. Flash floods caused 119 deaths, heavy rain 111, and landslides 71. Districts such as Kishtwar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Doda suffered the worst impacts.
- Shifting Significance: The analysis concluded that heavy rain and heavy snow remain the leading killers. However, flash floods, thunderstorms, and windstorms are gaining importance and increasingly threaten the region’s population.
Key Drivers of Weather Extremes
- Rising Temperatures and Glacial Lakes: The western Himalayas warmed at twice the rate of the Indian subcontinent after 2000. Warmer air holds more moisture, causing more intense precipitation. Glaciers have shrunk, creating unstable glacial lakes. Heavy rain can overflow these lakes, sending down slush and sediment, and causing severe downstream destruction.
- Changing Western Disturbances: Western disturbances, traditionally dominant in winter, now occur beyond the season. Global warming has intensified their impact, as a rapidly warming Arabian Sea feeds them more moisture. This leads to heavier rainfall and frequent floods in Himalayan states, including J&K.
- Vulnerable Topography: J&K’s mountainous terrain makes it highly vulnerable. The Himalayas’ diverse hill ranges trigger orographic rainfall, where moist air rises, cools, and condenses into heavy precipitation. This amplifies the destructive potential of short but intense weather events, turning them into major disasters.
Question for practice:
Examine the causes and consequences of increasing extreme weather events in Jammu & Kashmir.
