Cloudburst is an extreme weather event in which very heavy rainfall occurs over a highly localised area in a very short time span. Cloudbursts in India occur during monsoon season over mountain regions in the Himalayas, north-eastern states and the Western Ghats. The associated convective clouds can extend up to 15 km above the ground. The phenomenon of 2010 flash-flood was primarily because of cloud burst or intense rain. However, Leh has flash-flood record of other types as well.
Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) and river blockade caused by rock fall/landslide blockade are other two potential disasters especially in areas like Ladakh. GLOF of late has become a very common phenomenon in Ladakh.
A well known scientist in the field says that “The past climatic signatures are well imprinted in the geomorphology of the region, when we consider formulating strategies to adapt to climate change for region like Ladakh. It is pertinent that past signatures of climatic changes and events are taken into consideration for formulation of adaptations strategies in future. One of the key tools for such planning is the preparation of large scale geomorphological maps of the area in question. This is necessary in locating the best location for development and settlement of people, in areas which are free from past catastrophic events. Many of the past glacial recessional features can be utilised for conservation and management of melt waters of glaciers. This makes it a must before going ahead with formulation of any practical development of region” .
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| 19th Century: | |
|---|---|
| 1826 | GLOF in Shayok river. A road permanently obstructed. |
| 1833 | GLOF down the Shyok valley. Destroyed every village in its path from Nubra to Skardo |
| 1834 | Ladakh annexedby the Dogra Kingdom |
| 1840 | Zorowar Singh invades Baltistan |
| 1835 | Flood in Shyok Glacier |
| 1839 | LadakhFlood |
| 1841 | GLOF hits most of the villages along the Shyok |
| 1844 | Flood in Giglit River. It passed unnoticed at Attock |
| 1855 | Middle Indus Flood. Godwin Austen reports a minor flood in the middle Indus |
| 1858 | Flood caused by the Shyok glaciers or the Ghammesar landslide |
| 1866 | Flood in the Nubra Valley that last 3 or 4 days |
| 1877 | Heavy rains in Kashmir that destroyed crops leading to famine the following year (exacerbated by ‘misgovernment’) |
| 1878-79 | Famine in the Kashmir Valley |
| 1885 | May 30th Earthquake measuring 7.0mw. It is said 3000-3,500 killed |
| 1893 | Shimshal / Shingsal Valley Flood |
| 1894 | July Flood. Bridge across river Suru washed away. Communications between Leh and Kargil cut off |
| 1898 | April – Hurricane. Largest in living memory |
| 20th Century: | |
|---|---|
| 1906 | Shingshal / Shimsal Valley Flood |
| 1907 | Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Leh |
| 1911 | Severe cold wave, Dras. March 22nd, temperatures reached minus 33.9 degrees |
| 1929 | Great flood, Shyok river. Famine induced by flood |
| 1930 | Glacial lake outburst flood in Nubra valley |
| 1932 | Major flood, Shyok |
| 1933 | Major flood, Shyok |
| 1947 | Indian and Pakistan independence |
| 1947-48 | Indo-Pakistan War |
| 1949 | Border closed between China and Ladakh, cutting off a centuries old trade route |
| 1954 | Sino-Indian Agreement |
| 1960 | Flood. Unprecedented. Swept over the valley (Kashmir valley?) |
| 1962 | Sino-Indian war |
| 1963 | Earthquake, Kashmir, SW. Over 80 dead |
| 1965 | Second Indo-Pakistan War |
| 1970 | Houses and fields at Nyemo were destroyed by a cloudburst (oral history). |
| 1970 | Drought in Taru village |
| 1971 | Third Indo-Pakistan War |
| 1972 | Drought in Umla, Ladakh |
| 1973 | Start of the analysis of precipitation data by the Air Force Station, Leh |
| 1974 | Ladakh opened out for tourism |
| 1975 | Earthquake Kashmir, Kinnaur district, 47 dead |
| 1978 | Indus burst its banks above Leh, inundating the low-lying riparian villages from Martselang down to Spituk . Floods across India. Severe |
| 1980 | Earthquake, August 23rd. 5.5mw. The areas most affected were Kathua, Chamba, Dharkalan, Udhampur, Pathankot. 15 dead |
| 1984 | Operation Meghdoot, Indian army gains control of the Siachen glacier |
| 1985 | July/August – Houses in Leh (roofs) suffered rain damage. Significant signs of abnormal precipitation |
| 1986 | Minor earthquake affected Kashmir |
| 1987 | Beginning of the ice stupa project |
| 1988 | Heavy rain and early snow, blizzards on the Zoji-la |
| 1989 | Floods, J&K. Also a wet summer in Ladakh with roads washed away |
| 1989-92 | The Social Boycott |
| 1990 | Flash flood washed away the bridge at Changspa |
| 1992 | Major floods in Azad Kashmir |
| 1993 | Floods. Jammu and Kashmir |
| 1998 | Flash floods, in Gompa and Ganglas. Not much impact in Leh, though some of the fields of Sankar were covered with a thick layer of mud. This was caused by the bursting of a dam impounding a lake of glacial meltwater on Khardung-la |
| 1998 | Glacial lake outburst flood, Leh |
| 1999 | July – Heavy rains in parts of Zanskar |
| 1999 | Kargil War |
| 21st Century: | |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Downpours in central and Eastern Ladakh, with landslides and roads washed away |
| 2003 | Glacial lake outburst flood in Domkhar |
| 2005 | Earthquake, 80,000-100,000 dead. Pakistan and Kashmir. Leh-Kargil highway damaged by heavy rain |
| 2006 | July/August – Floods caused by torrential rain. Streams overflowed, bridges were destroyed, houses and roads damaged, and fields covered by deposits of mud and sand |
| 2008 | Unusually heavy rain in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh |
| 2009 | Flood from the Stok Nala destroyed standing crops in Chushot |
| 2010 | Floods affecting Pakistan, Azad, Jammu and Kashmir |
| 2010 | Flash flood Nimmu (3-4th August). Cloud burst around Leh (6 August) Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Nidder |
| 2013 | Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Kargil |
| 2014 | Floods in Kashmir Valley |
| 2014 | Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Gya |
| 2014 | Flood in the Markha Valley |
| 2015 | Floods, Wakha River (April). |
| 2015 | Glacial Lake outburst flood Phugtal (May) |
| 2016 | Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Achinathang. |
| 2016/17 | Escalation of violence in Kashmir |
| 2017 | Saboo Flash flood |
Kargil District falls under Seismic Zone-IV which makes the district highly vulnerable to earthquakes. Besides earthquakes, the District is prone to hazards like snow avalanches, landslides, flash-floods/cloudburst, cold-waves, road accidents, fires , border firing, etc. The district faced cloudburst/ flash floods in 2010,2013,2014,2016 and 2018 which caused damage to roads, buildings, crop fields etc. at a large scale. The impact of flash floods over inhabited areas has often been so harsh that the administration has had to swing into action for undertaking rescue and relief operations for which ration, shelter, clothes and utensils etc. are immediately required.
Another disaster that was witnessed in the year 2013 was the blockade of Phugtal River which led to the formation of an artificial glacier that caused huge losses to the property of both the districts Kargil and Leh. To tackle such disasters, the district administration has taken help of the State and Central Government.
