GS Paper 1
Syllabus: Disaster Management/Geography
Source: DTE
Context: The article highlights GLOF, associated risks and risk mitigation.
What is a GLOF?
- A GLOF is a sudden release of water from a lake fed by glacier melt
- Threatens people’s lives, livelihoods and regional infrastructure.
- In the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), GLOF events can be traced back to the failure of moraine-dammed glacial lakes
- The pressure on the dam, water seeping through the structure, fragmentation of the source glacier, landslides, etc., can trigger a GLOF.
- The frequency of GLOFs is expected to increase due to climate change.
Recent findings:
- The majority of the globally exposed population is located in the region of high mountain Asia and more than 50% in India, Pakistan, Peru and China.
- The population exposed to GLOFs increases with distance from a glacial lake.
- Rapid deglaciation over the last 20 years has led to the growth of many large glacial lakes.
- Increase in the population living in close proximity to glacial lakes between 2002 to 2022.
Situation in India:
- According to the ICIMOD, Himalayan glacial lakes increased by about 9% in number, and 14% in the area.
- The best-studied glacier is north India’s Chhota Shigri, which has lost three times its mass.
- The rapid onset of GLOFs means there is insufficient time to effectively warn downstream populations.
Way ahead:
- Studying glaciers through satellite observations.
- Learning past events and their dynamics will help in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the region.
Conclusion: Improvements are urgently needed in designing early warning systems alongside evacuation drills and other forms of community outreach.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
Q. What is Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding? Examine the vulnerabilities of hydropower projects in the Himalayan eco-sensitive region and suggest measures to overcome the same.
