{"id":59603,"date":"2025-08-16T11:26:03","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T05:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=59603"},"modified":"2025-08-16T11:42:56","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T06:12:56","slug":"kishtwar-flash-floods-climate-change-and-extreme-weather-in-jammu-kashmir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/kishtwar-flash-floods-climate-change-and-extreme-weather-in-jammu-kashmir\/","title":{"rendered":"Kishtwar Flash Floods: Climate Change and Extreme Weather in Jammu &#038; Kashmir"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Kishtwar Flash Floods Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least 65 people died and over 50 remain missing after a flash flood triggered by torrential rain hit Chasoti village in Kishtwar, Jammu &amp; Kashmir. The disaster struck near the route to the Machail Mata temple.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While scientists caution against linking any single extreme event directly to climate change, they note that rising global temperatures and shifting weather patterns have made such incidents \u2014 including flash floods and wildfires \u2014 more frequent and severe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Jammu &amp; Kashmir, as elsewhere in India, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events driven by climate change has already caused the deaths of thousands in recent years.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Extreme Weather Events in Jammu &amp; Kashmir (2010\u20132022)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between 2010 and 2022, Jammu &amp; Kashmir experienced 2,863 extreme weather events that claimed 552 lives, according to a 2024 study published in Mausam by IMD scientists.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most frequent occurrences were <\/span><b>thunderstorms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (1,942 incidents) and <\/span><b>heavy rain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (409 incidents), while <\/span><b>flash floods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (168 incidents) and <\/span><b>landslides<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (186 incidents) also posed significant threats.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although heavy snow was less frequent (42 incidents), it caused the highest fatalities \u2014 182 deaths \u2014 making it the deadliest weather phenomenon during this period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study also highlighted that <\/span><b>Kishtwar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Doda districts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recorded the highest number of deaths from flash floods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, the research concluded that while heavy rain and heavy snow remain the primary weather-related killers, other hazards such as flash floods, thunderstorms, and windstorms are increasingly emerging as major threats in Jammu &amp; Kashmir.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Key Drivers of Extreme Weather Events in J&amp;K<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although several factors contribute to the occurrence of extreme weather events in J&amp;K, the three significant drivers behind these events are rising temperatures, the changing pattern of Western Disturbances, and the region\u2019s topography.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Rising Temperatures and Their Impact on J&amp;K<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The western Himalayas, where Jammu &amp; Kashmir lies, have warmed at twice the rate of the Indian subcontinent since 2000.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This sharp rise in temperature has intensified both mean and extreme precipitation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 about 7% extra water vapour for every 1\u00b0C rise \u2014 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resulting in heavier and more frequent rainfall events that often trigger severe flooding<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Higher temperatures have also <\/span><b>accelerated glacial shrinkage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, increasing the number of <\/span><b>unstable glacial lakes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These lakes, being relatively young, have fragile edges prone to erosion, melting, and sudden breaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When heavy rainfall occurs, they overflow, releasing slush and sediment that cause catastrophic downstream floods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per climate experts, these unstable lakes make the region particularly vulnerable.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intense rain not only swells rivers but also destabilises glacial lakes, compounding the risk of flash floods and large-scale destruction.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Changing Nature of Western Disturbances<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Western Disturbances (WDs) are east-moving rain-bearing wind systems that originate beyond Afghanistan and Iran, gathering moisture from the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, and Arabian Seas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditionally active in winter months (December\u2013March), they are now increasingly affecting weather outside the winter season.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This increases the risk of floods and heavy rainfall in India\u2019s Himalayan states, including Jammu &amp; Kashmir.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change has altered their behaviour. The rapid warming of the Arabian Sea releases more moisture into these systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When WDs extend into the North Arabian Sea, they absorb this excess moisture, intensifying rainfall over the hills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This shift means that <\/span><b>global warming is strengthening and prolonging the influence of WDs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making extreme rainfall and flash floods more frequent in the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Topography and Vulnerability of J&amp;K<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jammu &amp; Kashmir\u2019s hilly and mountainous terrain amplifies its exposure to extreme weather events.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Himalayas consist of diverse ranges that significantly influence local weather systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the key processes is <\/span><b>orographic rainfall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As moist air is forced to ascend over the mountains, it cools and condenses, resulting in heavy precipitation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This process makes the region more prone to sudden and intense rain, often triggering flash floods, landslides, and cloudbursts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The unique Himalayan topography acts as a natural trigger for extreme events, meaning that <\/span><b>climate change impacts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 like warming temperatures and shifting Western Disturbances \u2014 <\/span><b>are magnified by the terrain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-climate\/kishtwar-flash-flood-how-climate-change-has-contributed-to-extreme-weather-events-in-jk-10191928\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> | <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/46-dead-100-odd-injured-many-missing-as-cloudburst-wipes-out-pilgrims-camp-in-jks-kishtwar\/articleshow\/123310810.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ToI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> | <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kashmirvision.in\/2025\/08\/16\/flash-floods-a-wake-up-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KV<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Climate change is intensifying extreme weather in J&#038;K. Rising heat, western disturbances, and terrain drive flash floods like Kishtwar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":59639,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2205,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-59603","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-kishtwar-flash-floods","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}