Himachal identifies 67 vulnerable glacial lakes, early warning systems planned for 4 - The Times of India

**Himachal Pradesh Identifies 67 Vulnerable Glacial Lakes, Plans Early‑Warning Systems for Four**

*Shimla, Aug 30, 2026* – The Himachal Pradesh state government has released a comprehensive inventory of 67 glacial lakes deemed vulnerable to sudden breach, commonly known as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The assessment, carried out by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), used satellite imagery, field surveys and hydrological modelling to classify lakes based on size, moraine stability and proximity to downstream settlements. Of the 67 lakes, four—located in the Kinnaur, Lahaul‑Spiti, Kullu and Shimla districts—have been earmarked for the installation of real‑time early‑warning systems (EWS) within the next 18 months.

Glacial lake outburst floods have emerged as a growing hazard in the Himalayas, a region already grappling with accelerated glacier melt and the formation of “hanging glaciers” that can detach and trigger massive avalanches. The 2022 Bhotekoshi flood in Nepal, which claimed dozens of lives downstream in India’s Uttarakhand, underscored the trans‑border nature of these events and the need for coordinated monitoring. Experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) warn that Himachal’s newly identified lakes sit on steep, unconsolidated moraines, making them susceptible to rapid destabilisation during extreme monsoon rains or seismic activity.

The state’s EWS plan involves the deployment of automated water‑level sensors, solar‑powered telemetry units and siren networks linked to the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) central command center. Funding for the pilot phase, estimated at ₹150 crore, will be sourced from the central Ministry of Home Affairs and the World Bank’s Climate Resilience Initiative. Officials said the system will provide at‑least 30 minutes of advance notice to villages and critical infrastructure, enabling evacuation and dam‑release protocols. Parallel to the technological rollout, Himachal’s government is initiating community‑awareness programmes and revising land‑use policies in high‑risk zones, aiming to bolster long‑term resilience against GLOFs across the Himalayan belt.