Uttarakhand Installs Early Warning Systems for Glacial Lake Floods
NDTV reports Uttarakhand has installed early warning systems aimed at alerting authorities and residents to glacial lake outburst flood risk.
Current Summary
According to September 29-30 reports from the New Indian Express, Moneycontrol and GK Today, Uttarakhand has begun installing its first real-time glacial lake early-warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district, one of 13 glacial lakes identified as high-risk by the NDMA out of 344 glacial lakes identified statewide by the National Remote Sensing Centre in 2023. A 22-scientist team led by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, with support from the Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, departed for the lake on Tuesday under the National GLOF Risk Reduction Programme, with the fortnight-long expedition running from September 29 to October 15. Personnel from the SDRF, NDRF and ITBP are assisting the team. The system will use sensors to measure water levels, weather conditions, snow depth, sub-surface temperatures, ground movement and water flow, transmitting data via satellite link since the high-altitude site has no mobile network connectivity. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan flagged off the team from the state secretariat, saying the initiative would be a milestone in understanding and reducing GLOF risk. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said close monitoring of glacial lakes was essential given the state's high-Himalayan location, and that the government would work with scientific institutions and disaster management agencies to expand monitoring capabilities across high-altitude areas.
What We Know
- NDTV reported that Uttarakhand has installed early warning systems for glacial lake floods.
- The system is being installed at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district, one of 13 NDMA-flagged high-risk glacial lakes
- A team from CBRI Roorkee and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology departed Tuesday; the expedition runs under the National GLOF Risk Reduction Programme until around October 15
- SDRF, NDRF and ITBP personnel are assisting the installation team
- The installation team comprises 22 scientists led by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology with CBRI Roorkee support
- Sensors will measure water levels, weather, snow depth, sub-surface temperatures, ground movement and water flow, transmitting via satellite due to lack of mobile network at the site
- The National Remote Sensing Centre identified 344 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand in 2023, of which 13 are classified high-risk by NDMA
What Is Still Unclear
- Which specific glacial lakes are covered by the new systems
- How many early warning systems have been installed
- Which agency or department implemented the systems
- When the installation was completed
- How alerts will be communicated to downstream communities
What Changed
- 30 Sept, 12:50 pmAdditional details: the installation team comprises 22 scientists led by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, with CBRI Roorkee support, under the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority and the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme. The system will use sensors to measure water levels, weather conditions, snow depth, sub-surface temperatures, ground movement and water flow, transmitting data via satellite link since the site has no mobile network connectivity. The National Remote Sensing Centre identified 344 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand in 2023, of which NDMA classified 13 as high-risk.
- 30 Sept, 06:01 amNew reporting identifies the specific site and agencies behind Uttarakhand's first glacial lake early-warning system. The system is being installed at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district, one of 13 glacial lakes the NDMA and other technical bodies have flagged as high-risk. A scientific and technical team from the Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, set out on Tuesday to install the equipment under the National GLOF Risk Reduction Programme. The expedition is expected to continue until October 15, with personnel from the SDRF, NDRF and ITBP assisting the team at the high-altitude site.
- 30 Sept, 03:30 amSignal detected: Uttarakhand Installs Early Warning Systems for Glacial Lake Floods
Background
Uttarakhand's Himalayan terrain includes numerous glacial lakes that pose outburst flood risk to downstream valleys, a concern highlighted by past disasters in the region.