Cloudbursts in Kangra and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh:
Cloudbursts in Kangra and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh triggered devastating flash floods, killing two people and leaving over a dozen missing.A cloudburst is a sudden, highly intense rainfall event, releasing ≥100 mm of rain in under one hour over a localized area (~10 km²). These events often occur over hilly or mountainous regions, triggering flash floods, landslides, and infrastructural damage.Moist air from monsoon winds hits the windward slope of mountains (e.g., Himalayas).This causes adiabatic cooling and condensation, forming towering cumulonimbus clouds up to 15–21 km high. Under unstable atmospheric conditions, rapid cloud formation overwhelms the area’s drainage capacity. The result is intense downpours over small regions, sometimes exceeding 2 billion litres/hour over 20 km², causing flash flooding and debris flows.
