Rising glacial lakes threaten Kishtwar lives, power projects: report
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The timing of an official report added urgency to the tragedy. A comprehensive risk assessment plan for Kishtwar district "GLOF Management Plan for Kishtwar 2024-25" identified the district as the most vulnerable in Jammu and Kashmir to glacial lake outburst floods, or GLOFs. Prepared by District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar Shavan, it noted that Kishtwar alone has 197 glacial lakes, the highest in the Union Territory, covering nearly 393 hectares and accounting for 36 percent of the UT's total glacial lakes.
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The report states that a comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation plan is critical to safeguard lives, property, and infrastructure in downstream communities of Kishtwar. A multi-layered mitigation strategy is essential to minimize the impacts of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
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The report adds that the establishment of Early Warning Systems should include collaboration with the Indian Meteorological Department to predict weather conditions that could trigger GLOFs. These systems will allow authorities to issue timely alerts to vulnerable communities and ensure evacuation measures are in place.
It states that in cases where glacial lakes pose an imminent threat, engineering interventions should be considered. These include controlled drainage of high-risk lakes to reduce pressure on moraine dams and reinforcement of unstable moraine dams using structural materials.
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