In regions that are hilly or mountainous, a cloudburst is an excessive amount of precipitation in a brief period of time that frequently causes unexpected flooding. When rainfall intensity surpasses 100 mm per hour, natural drainage systems are overloaded, leading to landslides, flash floods, and river overflows.
In the most recent instance, the Khir Ganga's upstream catchment area most likely saw heavy rainfall during a concentrated period of time, which caused a sudden surge in water downstream.
What is Cloudburst?
A cloudburst is a brief, heavy spell of rain that usually occurs over a limited area (10–25 square kilometers) and lasts less than an hour. These are most common in hilly areas during the monsoon season, particularly when damp air is quickly driven upward, as happens when it hits mountain slopes.
The sudden, concentrated downpour that can create flash floods, landslides, and widespread damage makes cloudbursts dangerous, particularly in steep areas where runoff instantly streams into valleys. The process is a serious natural danger for areas like the Himalayas since it is unpredictable due to its abrupt and localized nature.
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Largest Cloudbursts in the World
The single largest amount of rainfall ever recorded in a 24-hour period occurred in Cilaos, La Réunion. Check the list of the largest cloudbursts ever recorded in the world history:
| Duration | Rainfall | Location | Date |
| 24 hours | 73.62 inches (1,870 mm) | Cilaos, La Réunion | March, 1952 |
| 12 hours | 45.03 inches (1,144 mm) | Foc-Foc, La Réunion | January 8, 1966 |
| 6 hours | 32.7 inches (830 mm) | Linzhuang, Henan, China | August 7, 1975 |
| 2 hours | 19.3 inches (490 mm) | Yujiawanzi, Inner Mongolia, China | July 19, 1975 |
| 1 hour | 15.0 inches (380 mm) | Smethport, Pennsylvania, United States | July 18, 1942 |
| 42 minutes | 12.0 inches (304.80 mm) | Holt, Missouri, United States | 22 June 1947 |
| 20 minutes | 8.1 inches (205.74 mm) | Curtea de Argeș, Romania | 7 July 1947 |
| 15 minutes | 7.8 inches (198.12 mm) | Plumb Point, Jamaica | 12 May 1916 |
| 5 minutes | 2.61 inches (66.29 mm) | Hoed Spruit, South Africa | 29 November 1911 |
| 1 minute | 1.5 inches (38.10 mm) | Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe | 26 November 1970 |
Why is it Hard to predict a Clouburst?
Despite the fact that satellites are very helpful in identifying rainfall and large-scale weather systems, their resolution of precipitation is typically lower than that of cloudbursts; hence, they are generally missed. A similar problem with high-resolution cloud simulation is faced by weather forecasting models. Because of the uncertainty in the interplay between the steep topography and moisture convergence, cloud microphysics, and heating-cooling mechanisms at different atmospheric altitudes, it is still difficult to estimate rainfall in hilly places.
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