Plan afoot to install early warning systems at high-risk glacial lakes

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, August 3
Jammu and Kashmir’s Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR) has planned to install early warning systems for generating real-time alerts at most of the high risk glacial lakes in UT, according to officials.
An official spokesperson said on the directions of UT Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, a team of Department of Geography and Disaster Management, University of Kashmir, with the facilitation of Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction recently conducted the geographical field expedition of Sheeshnag and Sonasar glacial lakes in order to “prepare their Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) hazard assessment.”
“A detailed presentation was given to FGMC after the field expedition highlighting the major findings and future possibilities. Subsequently, a comprehensive preliminary report was submitted to the Chairman, FGMC, for deliberations and future course of action,” the spokesperson said. In the next phase, officials said the department has planned to install early warning systems for generating “real-time alerts at most of high risk glacial lakes in J&K in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority and a technical partner.
According to the spokesperson, the Himalayan glaciers have been rapidly melting due to accelerated climate change, with significant warming observed in the 21st century.
“This trend has led to the formation and expansion of glacial lakes, which are increasingly prone to catastrophic outburst floods. The projections indicate that up to 65% of the ice mass in High Mountain Asia could disappear by the end of the century, exacerbating the risks of GLOFs,” the spokesperson said.
He said this expedition underscores the “urgent need for enhanced monitoring and risk management strategies to address the growing threat of GLOFs in the Himalayas.”
“Efforts to expand the mitigation programme are being expedited. Further, this region is known for highly localised heavy rainfall events. Therefore, efforts to improve the predictive ability for such events will also be intensified in collaboration with relevant agencies,” the spokesperson said.