Srinagar, Aug 01: Heavy rains wreaked havoc across parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, with a cloudburst causing extensive damage in Kishtwar's Chatroo area and flash floods inundating residential localities in Shopian's Pehlipora village. In Pehlipora village of Shopian district of south Kashmir, flash floods triggered by torrential rain sent muddy water rushing into dozens of houses, forcing residents to hurriedly shift furniture, bedding, food stocks and other household belongings to upper floors. Isolated places, particularly the hilly districts and the Pir Panjal range in Jammu, may receive intense showers capable of triggering cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones. Such weather can rapidly trigger flash floods and cloudbursts, particularly in hilly districts, even when nearby areas receive comparatively less rainfall," Arif said. Experts have stressed the need for stronger early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and improved drainage networks as the frequency of cloudbursts and flash floods continues to rise across the Himalayan region.