At least 40 died in J&K’s Kishtwar after a cloudburst, while Ladakh saw cloudbursts and flash floods in August. The region faces severe climate change impacts as glaciers shrink rapidly, disrupting water supply, triggering migration, and increasing disaster risks.

BulletsIn

• 40 killed, 100+ missing in J&K cloudburst, Ladakh saw 2 cloudbursts, flash floods
• Glaciers shrinking fast, Ladakh lost 40% area, 25% volume since 1650 AD
• Over 3 lakh people depend on glaciers for water, farming, rivers Indus, Zanskar
• Faster, earlier glacier melt, groundwater recharge declining sharply
• Villages losing glaciers, people migrating to nearby areas for water
• Migration adding stress on receiving villages, worsening water demand
• Retreating glaciers forming glacial lakes, risk of sudden outburst floods
• Sikkim disaster in 2023 showed hazard of glacial lake bursts
• ISRO, NDMA warn J&K, Himalayas becoming hotspot of glacial lake risks
• Tourism boom, troop buildup, rising emissions speeding ice melt in Ladakh