Just three days after flash floods triggered by cloudburst struck Chisoti village in Kishtwar district, another cloudburst incident wreaked havoc in Kathua district leaving 7 persons, including 5 children dead.
The cloudburst in Chisoti village on August 14 had left 60 people dead and more than 100 injured.
The calamity struck Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Bagra village of Janglote amid heavy overnight rains in the district, leading to increase in the level of water bodies and submerging many low-lying areas.
A study published in Mausam, the journal of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has revealed that in 12 years J&K has witnessed 2,863 extreme weather events leading to 552 deaths.
The research highlights lightning as the most frequent hazard with 1,942 incidents, followed by 409 episodes of heavy rainfall and 168 flash floods. However, heavy snowfall emerged as the deadliest, claiming the most lives per incident. Only 42 heavy snowfall events were recorded but they caused 182 deaths — the highest mortality rate compared to other weather hazards.
These figures reveal two crucial realities. First, extreme weather in J&K is no longer rare; it has become disturbingly common. Second, the existing disaster preparedness and early warning systems are not keeping pace with the speed and scale of climatic changes.
The impact is magnified in mountainous areas, where fragile ecosystems, scattered settlements, and poor infrastructure amplify risks.
While no human effort can entirely prevent natural disasters, timely preparedness can certainly reduce their toll. Strengthening early warning systems, enhancing communication networks in remote areas, and building disaster-resilient infrastructure must become immediate priorities.
The tragic deaths of children in Kathua, and the mass casualties in Kishtwar, should stir both administration and society into action.
Equally important is the role of community awareness. Villagers, who are often the first responders, need to be trained in evacuation drills, first aid, and basic disaster management techniques. NGOs, local youth, and volunteer groups can be harnessed to create community resilience. The fact that hundreds of people die despite prior warnings of heavy rainfall or snow only underscores the gap between information dissemination and action on the ground.
The double tragedy of Kishtwar and Kathua is a stark reminder that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present and lethal reality. Jammu and Kashmir cannot afford to be caught unprepared each time nature unleashes its fury.
For the sake of its people, especially the vulnerable in rural hamlets, a comprehensive, science-backed, and community-driven approach to disaster management must be put in place without delay. |
