Arunachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority Explores High-Risk Glacial Lakes

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has sent expedition teams for the first time to six high-risk glacial lakes in Tawang and Dibang Valley districts to carry out basic studies in context of the possible Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), and accessibility to these lakes to initiate mitigation measures. The teams will cover three high-risk glacial lakes in both Tawang and Dibang Valley districts out of the 27 high-risk lakes in five districts of the state identified by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a press release from the disaster management department informed on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, a 14-member team led by Dibang Valley district disaster management officer Kabang Lego left Anini to study two glacial lakes in Mipi Circle. The lake has been classified as C by the NDMA and has the potential to create a glacial lake outburst flood. The team is expected to take 12 days to complete its study of the first two lakes. This will be followed by a trek to a high-risk glacier classified as “A” in Etalin Circle in the district. On Monday, a team led by Tawang deputy commissioner Kanki Darang left to study a lake in the Mago area under Thingbu Circle. The team will also cover two lakes in the Jang and Zemithang sub-divisions during the expedition. They will be provided the help of experts from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure (NIMAS), Dirang, who will carry out detailed studies on the accessibility, geo coordinates, lake boundary, area, elevation, habitations, point location, land use/land cover of the GLOF potential lakes, etc., to facilitate the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and the Indian Meteorological Department to install the Automatic Early Warning System and Automatic Weather Station, respectively.

 The installation of Automatic Early Warning System and Automatic Weather Station is expected to be helpful in averting the high intensity of damage to lives and property downstream of the lakes. The project is being undertaken as a part of initiatives undertaken by NDMA after the catastrophic Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) event in South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim, in October 2023. The NDMA, in collaboration with technical/research institutions affiliated with the Government of India, has identified high-risk glacial lakes for GLOF in the Indian Himalayan region. A total of 27 glacial lakes have been identified as high-risk glacial lakes in Arunachal Pradesh, located in five districts: Tawang (6), Kurung Kumey (1), Shi-Yomi (1), Dibang Valley (16), and Anjaw (3). Considering the risk of these glacial lakes, the NDMA suggested immediate measures to mitigate GLOF by installing early warning systems, automatic weather stations, and other mitigation activities. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the lead technical agency appointed by the NDMA, Government of India will be handholding the State Government in the installation of EWS and AWS, the release added.

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