Glacial Lake Outburst at 16,000 Ft in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Team of District Disaster Management authority Tawang led by DC Tawang Kanki Darang reaches Sangnga Nehgu Lake at 16000ft to survey probable Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

A glacial lake outburst has been reported from Sangnga Nehgu lake at a height of 16,000 feet in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far. The district administration is keeping a close watch on the situation.

Team of District Disaster Management authority Tawang led by DC Tawang Kanki Darang reaches Sangnga Nehgu Lake at 16000ft to survey probable Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).

A team of District Disaster Management Authority, Tawang led by Deputy Commissioner, Tawang Kanki Darang and Superintendent of Police DW Thongon reached the Sangnga Nehgu lake at the height of 16000 ft near glacier on the range of mount Gorichen. The initiative was taken on receipt of instructions from National Disaster Management Authority, Govt of India regarding three sensitive glacial lakes in Tawang district.

The team comprised of extra assistant commissioner of Mogto Honjon Perme, assistant engineer WRD Jang Kago Kani, and District Information & Public Relation Officer Tawang, trek leader and photography expert Jambey Dondu, representatives from army, National Institute of Mountaineering & Adventure Sports and other supporting staffs.

The team started their trek from Jethang (13200ft) on August 20 and halted a night at Merathang (14600ft). Next day, early in the morning the team started to climb up and reached the lake Sangnga Nehgu (16000ft), surveyed it and returned back via Tso Kyei lake by evening to Jethang.

The team found that recently on August 14, there was an incident of glacial lake outbrust from the same lake (Sangnga Nehgu) washing away more than five log bridges and damaging the brokpa track at several locations.

It further observed that there are still chances of GLOF from the same lake, since the glacier on the back side of lake is melting at rapid rate increasing the volume of water in the lake. Before moving back to Jethang, DC while responding to the request made by brokpas said that 3 lakhs rupees will be immediately sanctioned from untied fund for repair and maintenance of recently damaged brokpa tracks and matter regarding washed out bridges will be taken up with higher authority. Regarding water supply at Jethang, he asked Gram Panchayat member to follow up the matter with PHED and he further assured that necessary instructions for the same will be given to the Executive Engineer.

Another team led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Jang Hakraso Kri, comprising Circle Officers Khoda Oniya and Tage Mooniya, District Disaster Management Officer of Tawang Genden Tsomu, Gram Chairperson Mago village Tsetim Panden and villagers visited the Tso Kyei lake at an elevation of 14800 ft for survey on August 20, and returned back the same day to Jethang. The team of ITBP were stationed at Jethang for emergency back up to the teams. The teams returned back safely to respective headquarters.

It needs to be mentioned that India has initiated its first comprehensive survey of high-risk glacial lakes in the Tawang and Dibang Valley districts of Arunachal Pradesh, a region that shares a 1,080 km-long border with China. The mission, part of the National Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) project led by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), aims to assess the potential risk of GLOF and explore mitigation measures.

This initiative follows the catastrophic GLOF event at South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim in October 2023, underscoring the urgency of addressing similar risks in other Himalayan regions.

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