A suspected cloudburst triggered flash floods in Pahalgam, inundating several hotels, houses and nearby residential areas.
Tourists were safely evacuated after overflowing waters flooded hotels, while authorities monitored the developing situation closely.
No casualties were reported, as officials continued assessing damage caused by the sudden heavy rainfall and flooding.
Several hotels and houses were inundated in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Saturday after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in a stream, officials said.
A sudden spell of intense rainfall, possibly caused by a localised cloudburst, struck the forest areas of Awoora and Dehwathu in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, they said.
The cloudburst triggered flash floods in a stream in Awoora.
The overflowing waters inundated at least half a dozen hotels, prompting the rescue and relocation of tourists to safer places, they said, adding, several houses in the area were also affected.
There was no report of any loss of life or injuries. The administration is closely monitoring the situation, officials added.
What Is A Cloudburst?
A cloudburst is a sudden spell of exceptionally heavy rainfall over a small geographical area. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines it as rainfall of 100 mm or more within one hour recorded at a single weather station.
Cloudbursts are most frequently reported in mountainous regions such as the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, although they can occur elsewhere under favourable weather conditions. They develop when large volumes of moisture accumulate in the atmosphere and are released over a short period.
Studies of cloudburst events in the Himalayas show that they occur most commonly at altitudes between 1,000 and 2,500 metres, particularly in valleys along the southern Himalayan foothills.
