Explainer: Why cloudbursts are becoming more common in north India
This monsoon (2025), Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir have seen a sharp rise in cloudbursts—sudden downpours dumping over 100mm of rain in an hour.
These storms have triggered flash floods and landslides across the region.
Just between June and August, Himachal reported 34 cloudbursts and dozens of disasters.
Climate change, unplanned development to blame
Cloudbursts are hitting harder than ever: In August, one near the Machail Mata route in J&K killed around 60 people and left 200 missing.
The Himalayas's steep slopes make these rainstorms extra dangerous—water rushes downhill fast, wiping out villages and roads.
Experts say climate change is making these events more frequent and unpredictable. Plus, unplanned construction and deforestation are making things worse by destabilizing the land.
Why can't we predict cloudbursts?
India's weather department says predicting heavy rain is possible—but pinpointing exactly when or where a cloudburst will strike is still really tough because of the mountains' tricky weather patterns.
With early warning systems still lacking in many areas, people often get little or no notice before disaster hits.