Cloudbursts, landslides, rockfalls: Why J&K is facing nature's fury
Jammu and Kashmir have faced a tough few weeks, with intense cloudbursts and flash floods over the last two weeks leaving more than 120 people dead and causing major damage to roads and villages.
The worst tragedy struck on August 14 in Kishtwar's Chisoti village during the Machil Mata temple pilgrimage, where a sudden cloudburst killed around 68 people.
A rockfall en route to the Vaishno Devi shrine added 35 more lives lost, while landslides across several districts have made things even harder for locals.
Between 2010-2022, J&K saw 168 cloudbursts
Experts are linking these disasters to climate change and human activity—pointing out that between 2010 and 2022 alone, J&K saw 168 cloudbursts.
Unchecked pilgrimages, road building, and even large-scale kitchens are putting extra stress on the environment.
This year's rainfall has been extreme too: Jammu got nearly 40% more rain than usual by late August, making floods and landslides worse.