Lessons from Deluge

Context:

Glacial Lake Outburst floods (GLOF), like the one in Sikkim, could increase due to global warming. These lakes must be monitored, risk-management systems developed.

Increasing Vulnerability

GLOF in Sikkim: Recently, a catastrophic GLOF occurred in South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and taking lives.
Potential causes: Remote location and scarce monitoring hinder the precise identification of the GLOF's cause, potentially involving rainfall, landslides, avalanches, or an earthquake.
Risks associated: Glacial lakes, formed by increased glacier melting, have become more frequent due to rising tropospheric temperatures, making them vulnerable.

Mounting Threat of GLOFs in India

Regional Vulnerability: Vulnerable glacial lakes in states like Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh necessitate immediate attention.
Hills vs. Plains: Recent scientific studies indicate that over nine million people in High Mountain Asia are at risk of GLOFs, demanding urgent preventive measures.
Mitigation and Preparedness methods: Rigorous monitoring, forecasting, and alert systems, combined with satellite and drone surveillance, are essential to mitigate GLOF threats.

Comprehensive Strategies

Infrastructural safety: Rigorous safety standards for mountainous infrastructure projects and quality control measures are imperative to prevent GLOF-related damages.
Impacts: Stringent regulation of constructions near rivers is crucial to safeguard communities from the initial impact of GLOF floods.
Way forward: A scaled-up scientific assessment of glaciers in the Himalayan region is essential to understand their response to climate change and to develop effective disaster risk-reduction strategies.

You must be logged in to get greater insights.

We Need more Doctors

Economy Growth and Development

The world needs to stop taking water for granted

Ecology and Environment Environment Conservation

A Few FCRA-listed NGOs fail to show the right area of work

Economy Money and Banking

India’s bid to host 2036 Olympics

International Relations Miscellaneous

How to read India’s latest employment data

Economy Poverty and Unemployment

Government launches ‘Green Credit’ Programme