Flagging of 24 glacial lakes in Jammu and Kashmir as high-risk lakes renews calls for mitigation measures for real time monitoring and warning system for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).Glacial Lake Outburst Floods can be disastrous for downstream populations due to the sudden release of water from a lake dammed by loose moraine material. With melting of glaciers, glacial lakes are formed. Gradually water accumulates behind loose naturally formed glacial or moraine dams made of boulders, gravels, pebbles, sand, clay and ice residue. Unlike earthen dams, the weak structure of the moraine dam leads to the abrupt failure or bursting due to immense pressure.

Fast retreating of glaciers due to global warming and pollution has created glacial lakes in various mountain ranges of J&K, making the region vulnerable to GLOF. During the recent Assembly session, the Government blamed the escalating risk of GLOFs to fast-rising temperatures, accelerated glacier melts, and expansion of glacial lakes”.

In reply to a question by National Conference Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq on risks due to GLOFs, the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR) said the threat was particularly relevant to Kishtwar, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Anantnag districts.Government cited a study of A University of Kashmir which identified 616 lakes across 12 districts, covering an area of 28.62 sq km and delineated 68 Potentially Dangerous Glacial Lakes (PDGLs). 24 high-risk lakes had been categorised into A, B and C........

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