Uttarakhand Begins Installing Its First Glacial Lake Early-Warning System at Vasundhara Tal

30 September 2026National

Uttarakhand began installing its first glacial lake early-warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district on 29 September 2026. A 22-scientist team led by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, supported by CBRI Roorkee, is executing the project under the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority and the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme. Sensors will track water level, weather, snow depth, sub-surface temperature, ground movement and water flow, relaying data by satellite because the site has no mobile network. The expedition runs from 29 September to 15 October 2026. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan flagged off the team; SDRF, NDRF and ITBP personnel are involved.

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A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) is a sudden release of water from a glacial lake when moraine dams, ice dams or unstable slopes fail | The National Remote Sensing Centre identified 344 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand in 2023, of which the NDMA classified 13 as high-risk | The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology is based in Dehradun

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