CHANDIGARH: The country's first Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) early warning system has been installed at Ghepan Ghat glacial lake in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district, at an altitude of around 4,100 metres.
Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under a pilot project funded by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the system will continuously monitor the lake's water level, environmental conditions and changes in its surroundings. It will provide disaster management authorities with crucial data for timely risk assessment and preparedness against potential hazards. The district administration has described it as the country's first such system.
The installation marks a significant milestone in monitoring glacial lakes and assessing potential flood threats in the ecologically sensitive Himalayan region.
The installation comes amid concerns over the lake's expansion. Its area increased by 178 per cent between 1989 and 2022, from 36.5 hectares to 101.3 hectares. The Ghepan glacial lake is 2,464 metres long and 625 metres wide at its broadest point near the glacial snout. It gradually narrows toward the outlet, and its volume is estimated at more than 35 million cubic metres.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) alerted the district administration in November 2023 to the increase in the lake's area, prompting efforts to assess risks and strengthen disaster preparedness. Subsequently, steps were initiated to assess potential hazards, conduct scientific studies, identify vulnerable locations and strengthen disaster response measures.
Deputy Commissioner and District Disaster Management Authority Chairperson Kiran Bhadana has been in regular contact with the NDMA to facilitate the system's early installation. She also visited the lake recently to review the situation.
The newly installed system comprises a buoy-based lake monitoring station, an automated weather station and a glacier vision unit. Together, these components will monitor changes in the lake and its surrounding environment.
"Sensor data, visual observations and computational models will be integrated with C-DAC's supercomputing platform to support risk assessment, real-time data visualisation, generate alerts based on predefined parameters, simulate potential GLOF scenarios and support flood risk assessments," an official said.
These capabilities are expected to help authorities better understand changing conditions, identify emerging threats and strengthen emergency response planning. The initiative will also help raise public awareness about flood-prone areas and support disaster management planning.
In another significant development, work to mark the high flood level (HFL) along the Chandra-Chenab river, also known as the Chandrabhaga, has been completed.
"The administration has also completed the high flood level (HFL) marking work across the Chandra-Chenab river basin to help identify flood-prone areas and improve preparedness," an official said.
Deputy Commissioner Kiran Bhadana had earlier warned that, in the event of a GLOF, water from Ghepan glacial lake could potentially reach populated areas downstream within about five minutes.
The administration is also identifying vulnerable areas, forming local rapid response teams and conducting community awareness and training programmes.