Amidst escalating fear of a flood, the Himachal Government is undertaking the task of mapping potential downstream flood-affected areas through satellite and remote sensing so that the risk factor could be assessed and the communities could be alerted.
Efforts are on to strengthen early-warning systems, with the objective of translating monitoring and hazard information into actionable warnings for downstream communities. Some of the villages which could face threat from the Geepang Gath lake burst in Lahaul-Spiti include Sissu, Goshal and Tandi.
As per a risk assessment by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, Sissu village falls in the red zone, and the steep slope between the lake and the village in case of a lake burst could result in accelerated flow of water and debris.
The issue assumes significance following the Nepal catastrophe and escalating fear among villagers residing in low-lying areas about a potential flood from vulnerable glacial lakes.
The Geepang Gath, a rapidly expanding high glacial altitude lake, is located at 4,140m near Sissu in the Lahaul area. The lake has been declared highly vulnerable by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
It derives its name from Lord Ghepan or Raja Ghepan, a highly revered deity believed to be the chief protector of the people of Lahaul valley. Having deep ties to local culture, belief and faith, it is a popular tourist attraction with its crystal-clear blue waters and floating icebergs.
“Changes in lake area and other indicators are being tracked to identify emerging risks. Earlier scientific work in Himachal indicated that Geepang Gath lake, also known as Ghepan lake, expanded from about 27 hectares in the 1970s to nearly 99 ha by 2019, demonstrating the need for continuous monitoring,” said Pushpendra Rana, Director (Environment) and Member Secretary, Council for Science, Technology and Environment.
The detailed downstream flood zonation of the Geepang Gath glacial lake has been initiated to identify the red, yellow and green zones in close proximity to the river. A total of 1,699 glaciers were mapped across all the Himalayan sub-basins in 2000, with the total number increasing to 1,709 in 2020.
Apart from this, Himachal Pradesh has been taking a number of measures to reduce this risk and ensure better preparedness.
“Flood-level marking and community awareness are being undertaken in vulnerable downstream areas. This converts scientific hazard assessment into information that communities can understand and use for evacuation and preparedness,” emphasised Rana.
Thrust is being laid on training and preparedness. Regular training and capacity-building of disaster- management officials and field staff are being undertaken. Strengthening preparedness can help in assessing early warnings, which can facilitate rapid evacuation and response rather than remaining only technical information.
