🔆 GLOFs in India – Rising Threat of Himalayan Hazards


📍 What are GLOFs?
✅ Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) are sudden, high-magnitude flash floods
✅ Occur when natural dams (ice/moraine/rock debris) holding glacial lakes breach or collapse
✅ Triggered by glacier melting, avalanches, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, etc.

📍 Why is India Vulnerable?
✅ India has 54,000+ glaciers in Hindukush-Himalayan region
✅ Avg. temp rose by 0.28°C per decade (1951–2020) → rapid glacial retreat
✅ Eastern Himalayas face 2x higher GLOF risk than Western Himalayas
✅ Threats are expected to triple by 2050

📍 Major GLOF Events in India
✅ 2023 – South Lhonak Lake flood, Sikkim
✅ 2021 – Chamoli disaster, Uttarakhand (Nanda Devi glacier collapse)
✅ 2013 – Chorabari GLOF, Kedarnath tragedy

📍 Steps Taken by India
✅ NDMA focus on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) via CoDRR
✅ WIHG: Glacial lake inventory for Uttarakhand & Himachal
✅ CWC: Monitoring of 902 glacial lakes using satellite data
✅ National GLOF Risk Mitigation Project (NGRMP)
 • Implemented in Arunachal, Sikkim, HP, Uttarakhand
 • Budget: ₹150 crore
 • Focus: Early Warning Systems (EWS), community alerts
✅ EWS deployed via C-DAC, ISRO, SAC Ahmedabad
✅ Risk Indexing of glacial lakes to rank high-risk zones

📝 Prelims Question (2025)
Q. Consider the following statements regarding Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs):
1. GLOFs only occur due to volcanic activity in high altitudes.
2. Eastern Himalayas are more vulnerable to GLOFs than the Western Himalayas.
3. NDMA has launched a dedicated National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme.

Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 only

✅ Answer: (a)

📝 Mains Question (GS3 – Disaster Management)
Q. Examine the rising vulnerability of India’s Himalayan region to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). What proactive steps has the government taken to mitigate GLOF risks?

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