What is cloudburst? Know about rare weather phenomenon that's causing havoc in Dharali, Kishtwar

Days after the deadly flash floods following a massive cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi, Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar region was also hit by a cloudburst on Thursday.

While SDRF teams are rushing to the spot, latest reports say that as many as 10 people are feared dead in the incident. India has been witnessing an increased number of cloudbursts during the monsoon season in recent times.

The rare weather phenomenon shows how the worsening climate crisis is wreaking havoc across the world.

Also read: Himachal cloudbursts trigger flash floods in Kullu; bridges washed away in Lahaul-Spiti, Kalka-Shimla highway shut

So, what exactly is a cloudburst? In simple terms, it doesn’t mean a cloud has literally burst. Instead, as per the IMD, a cloudburst is when an area of 30 sq km or less receives 100 mm or more of rain in one hour.

There are several factors that lead to a cloudburst. The Himalayan region is prone to cloudbursts during the monsoon season due to the increased occurrence of extreme rainfall.

Also Read: Massive cloudburst in J&K's Kishtwar triggers flash floods; 10 feared dead

As per University of Melbourne's Ruchit Kulkarni, during the monsoon season, the moisture coming from the Arabian Sea is swept by the hills to the west. This process is known as orographic lift. Due to this, the hilly regions see cumulonimbus clouds. These formations containing large droplets.

Talking to the Guardian, Kulkarni said that extreme moist airflow is lifted by the hilly atmosphere that leads to clouds getting bigger in size. With no chance of rainfall, it becomes heavy and bursts resulting in incessant rain in a small area.

From Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand, this monsoon season has seen alarming rate of cloudbursts. In Himachal Pradesh, Kullu has seen two cloudbursts in the last 24 hours.