Himalayan blunder in Uttarakhand Policymakers need to actively engage with scientists to build a network of information based on land-use changes, hazard surveillance, weather monitoring and forecasting systems
The unfortunate disaster that struck Rishiganga-Dhauliganga Valley in early February is a sad reminder of the consequences of undermining the natural vulnerability of the Himalayas. We should not delude ourselves into believing that this is the last disastrous Himalayan event that caused losses to life and property, including two hydropower plants. In an article in
Nature in 2013, yours truly had cautioned that rising temperatures in the Himalayas raise the threat of glacial lake outburst floods. Of the 8,800 glacial lakes in the Himalayas, more than 200 have been classified as dangerous. Himalayan nations were urged to build an international network to monitor risks such as t
Team of experts will assess damage and trigger factor responsible for Sunday outburst, says official
The Geological Survey of India has through remote sensing and multispectral data found 13 of 486 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand to be vulnerable.
A glacial lake can breach causing outburst flood like the one in Chamoli on Sunday due to avalanche or landslip in its periphery, cloudburst in the catchment, a major quake and other geological factors, GSI’s Director-General Ranjit Rath said in New Delhi on Monday.
“The glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating under climate change scenario. This is a global phenomenon,” Dr. Rath said, adding that glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) can result in the discharge of a huge volume of water leading to severe damage downstream.