"Uttarakhand Installs First Glacial Lake Early-Warning System"
GLOF
sudden release of water from a glacial lake caused by moraine or ice-dam failure.
Bathymetric survey
measurement of a water body's depth, terrain and holding capacity.
A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) occurs when the moraine or ice dam holding back a glacial lake suddenly breaches, releasing stored water downstream with little warning. The Himalaya is among the world's youngest and most tectonically active mountain systems, and rapid deglaciation combined with thawing permafrost makes its slopes prone to sudden failure. India's disaster governance rests on the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which created a three-tier structure: the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at the Centre, chaired by the Prime Minister; State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), chaired by Chief Ministers; and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) at the local level. India has also committed to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), whose Target G calls for universal access to multi-hazard early warning systems.
The Indian Himalayan Region is often loosely described as spanning five states, but it actually extends further: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh form the commonly cited core, but parts of West Bengal, Assam and other northeastern states also lie within it. Uttarakhand's glacial lakes are concentrated in the high-altitude districts of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar and Tehri Garhwal. The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) identified 344 glacial lakes in the state in 2023, and the NDMA classified 13 of these as high-risk, with five placed in the highest Category A. Vasundhara Tal, in Chamoli, is one of these five, and lies close to Nanda Devi, the peak the 2022 UPSC prelims itself pairs with the Kumaon Himalaya, a reminder that the range is subdivided into distinct geographic units such as the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya.
Before real-time monitoring can begin, scientists must establish a lake's physical profile through a bathymetric survey, which measures depth, length, width and terrain to estimate how much water could be released if the dam failed. Such surveys have already been completed at six Himalayan lakes, including Vasundhara Tal, Saraswati Tal and Kedartal in Uttarakhand, and three proglacial lakes in Pithoragarh's Darma Valley. This data feeds into models of the worst-case downstream flood scenario.
The early-warning system now being installed at Vasundhara Tal moves beyond this static assessment to continuous, real-time sensing. A water-level sensor tracks abnormal fluctuations in the lake itself. An automatic weather station records temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind and atmospheric pressure. Snow-depth and sub-surface temperature sensors monitor the glacier's condition, while tilt and accelerometer sensors detect ground movement nearby, and a water-flow sensor tracks discharge. …
Consider the following statements:
1.In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only.
2.Western Ghats are spread over five States only.
3.Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which one of the following is an artificial lake ?
Consider the following pairs:
Peak — Mountains
1.Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya
2.Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya
3.Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements regarding India's disaster management architecture under the Disaster Management Act, 2005:
1.The National Disaster Management Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister.
2.State Disaster Management Authorities are chaired by the state's Chief Minister.
3.District Disaster Management Authorities function independently of both the NDMA and the SDMA.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The 'Target G' of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) specifically relates to which of the following?
Which one of the following correctly states the NDMA's classification of glacial lakes in Uttarakhand?
Match the following high-risk glacial lakes in Uttarakhand with the districts in which they are located:
List I (Lake):
1.Vasundhara Tal
2.Kedartal
3.Mabang
List II (District):
A.Uttarkashi
B.Pithoragarh
C.Chamoli
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
With reference to the early-warning system being installed at Vasundhara Tal in Uttarakhand, consider the following statements:
1.Data from the site will be transmitted using satellite links because conventional mobile networks are unavailable.
2.The entire monitoring system is powered using diesel generators.
3.Tilt and accelerometer sensors are deployed to detect ground movement near the lake.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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