Uttarakhand is strengthening its monitoring of glacier lakes, rivers and other vulnerable areas following the devastating floods in neighbouring Nepal, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik said on Friday.
Kaushik said the state is highly vulnerable to natural disasters and that the government was taking steps to strengthen preparedness and reduce the risk to lives and property.
“Taking lessons from the recent disaster in Nepal, the monitoring mechanism for glacier lakes, rivers and other vulnerable areas is being further strengthened,” Kaushik said.
The government will focus on scientific surveys and regular assessments of vulnerable glacier lakes, along with the installation of advanced early warning systems. Additional equipment and technical resources will be deployed wherever required to ensure that alerts reach authorities and residents in time, he said.
Kaushik said protecting human lives remained the government’s foremost priority and stressed the need for pre-disaster preparedness, timely warnings, local-level capacity building and better coordination among departments. Officials have also been directed to remain vigilant during the monsoon and respond promptly to emergencies.
The move comes amid the devastation caused by flash floods in Nepal. The death toll has risen to 389, while 977 people remain missing, according to the latest status report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Of those reported missing, 517 are foreign nationals and 127 are Nepali citizens living abroad who had travelled to the country.
Uttarakhand has also heightened surveillance in the Kumaon region in view of the floods in Nepal and continued rainfall. The Champawat district administration is monitoring water levels in the Kali-Sharda river, particularly around Banbasa and Tanakpur, and has intensified surveillance at the Sharda Barrage, river ghats and other sensitive riverside locations.
Police, the State Disaster Response Force and disaster management teams have been placed on alert, with continuous monitoring of riverbanks and border areas.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had earlier directed the Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department to conduct a comprehensive scientific survey of sensitive glacier lakes across the state.
The assessment will cover changes in lake size, water levels, surrounding terrain and potential risk zones. The government also plans to strengthen early warning infrastructure through modern sensors, water-level monitoring equipment and communication systems.
Dhami has directed officials to go beyond installing warning systems and put in place broader risk-mitigation measures, including safe evacuation routes, mapping of vulnerable zones, stronger communication networks and local warning mechanisms.
District magistrates have been asked to regularly monitor potential risk areas and immediately report any unusual activity to higher authorities. The government is also reviewing rapid response mechanisms, communication networks and the availability of relief and rescue resources at the local level.
(With inputs from ANI)