05 Apr 2024 Threats of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood
This article covers ‘Daily Current Affairs’ and the topic details of ”Threats of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood”. This topic is relevant in the “Environment” section of the UPSC CSE exam.
UPSC GS3 MAINS SYLLABUS: Disaster and Disaster Management
Why in the News?
The Uttarakhand administration has formed two expert teams tasked with assessing the danger posed by five potentially perilous glacial lakes situated in the area. These lakes are susceptible to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), incidents that have caused numerous calamities in the Himalayan regions in recent times.
Glacial Lakes in Uttarakhand
- Uttarakhand is home to 13 of the 188 glacial lakes identified in the Himalayan region. These lakes gained significant attention following a catastrophic event in February 2021 when a glacial lake outburst in Chamoli district resulted in the destruction of a small hydropower project on the Rishi Ganga river and triggered devastating flash floods that claimed numerous lives.
- The glacial lakes in Uttarakhand are classified into three categories: ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’, with ‘A’ denoting the most sensitive ones. Among the 13 lakes in Uttarakhand, five are classified as ‘A’ (highly sensitive), four as ‘B’ (sensitive), and four as ‘C’ (relatively less sensitive).
- Notably, the Pithoragarh district hosts four of the highly sensitive lakes, while one is situated in the Chamoli district. In terms of sensitive lakes, Pithoragarh has two, with one each in Chamoli and Tehri districts.
Teams Deployed to Assess Uttarakhand’s Riskiest Glacial Lakes
- The first team comprises experts from various institutions such as the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee; the Geological Survey of India, Lucknow; the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun; the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority; and the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre. Their focus is on evaluating two glacial lakes, utilising satellite data analysis, data collection, bathymetry, and area surveys.
- Simultaneously, a second team led by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, in collaboration with institutions like the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing in Dehradun, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, and the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre, will undertake the study of the remaining three ‘A’ category glacial lakes.
About Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)
- A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) is a devastating flood event occurring when the natural dam containing a glacial lake collapses, leading to the sudden release of a large volume of water. Such floods are typically instigated by accelerated glacier melting, excessive precipitation, or an influx of meltwater into the lake. In February 2021, Chamoli district in Uttarakhand experienced flash floods suspected to be caused by GLOFs.
- Various factors can trigger these floods, including glacier volume changes, lake water level fluctuations, and seismic activity. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) attributes the emergence of numerous new glacial lakes in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, primarily due to climate change-induced glacial retreat, as a major driver of GLOFs.
NDMA guidelines to address Glacial Lake Outburst Flood threats
- Identification of Potentially Hazardous Lakes: Identification involves field assessments, historical event records, and analysis of the lake’s physical characteristics and surroundings.
- Flood Management Techniques: Techniques include reducing water volume through controlled breaching, pumping, or creating tunnels through moraine barriers or ice dams.
- Early Warning Systems (EWS): Enhancing operational GLOF Early Warning System, which are currently limited in number globally. Some instances in the Himalayan region demonstrate the use of sensor and monitoring-based systems for early warning.
- Comprehensive Alarm Systems: Utilising modern communication technologies, such as cell phones, to complement or replace traditional alarm infrastructure like acoustic sirens, ensuring efficient warning dissemination.
- Technological Utilisation: The promotion of Synthetic-Aperture Radar imagery aids in automatically detecting changes in water bodies, especially new lake formations, during monsoon periods.
- Local Manpower Training: Emphasising the importance of trained local personnel alongside specialised forces like the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), ITBP, and the Army. Local communities often play a crucial role in search and rescue operations before formal intervention.
Download Yojna daily current affairs eng med 5th April 2024
Mains practise question
Q1. Evaluate the guidelines outlined by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to address Glacial Lake Outburst Flood threats. How effective are these guidelines in enhancing disaster preparedness and resilience in vulnerable regions like Uttarakhand?
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