Kedarnath-like disaster threat looms: 700m-long glacier lake alarms scientists in Himalayas
Dehradun (The Uttam Hindu): A very worrying news is coming from the high Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand, which has revived the painful memories of the Kedarnath disaster of 2013. The size of a huge glacier lake above the Darma Valley near the India-China border in Pithoragarh is increasing rapidly, due to which scientists have raised the alarm, fearing a massive disaster.
This lake, called 'Arnav Lake', is about 700 meters long and 600 meters wide and in recent studies, its size has increased by 30 percent. This lake is built on the unorganized debris (moraine) of the glacier, which is like a weak natural dam. Scientists fear that if the water level in the lake suddenly increases due to melting of snow or heavy rains, then this weak dam may break, which can lead to a flood like Kedarnath in the lower areas.
This danger is not limited to Arnav Lake alone. A study conducted under the leadership of Dr. M.P.S. Bisht, Head of the Department of Geology, Garhwal Central University, has revealed that the size of Kedar Lake in Gangotri and Vasudhara Lake in Chamoli is also continuously expanding. This frightening picture has emerged from the analysis of satellite images taken between 2014 and 2023.
Dr. Bisht said, "Analysis of domestic and foreign satellite images clearly shows major changes in the size of these lakes. These lakes are built on moraine dams, which are extremely unstable. Their breaking will prove disastrous for the valleys below."
The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has also confirmed the increase in the size of Vasudhara Lake and Kedartal in Chamoli. The institute's scientists had also recently identified 25 other dangerous glacier lakes in the state.
Dr Bisht has cautioned the state government and other scientific institutions that immediate steps are required considering the seriousness of the situation. He said, "It is extremely important to conduct a scientific assessment of these lakes, monitor them continuously and take safety measures in time. If we ignore this, then in the future we may have to face a tragedy like 2013 again."