Manali: The Lahaul-Spiti administration plans to install an early warning system at the 4,070-metre-high Ghepan glacial lake in September to continuously monitor its water level and other critical parameters amid concerns over glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risks.Deputy commissioner Kiran Bhadana said the system would be installed through Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram, subject to final approval from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). A similar system has already been tested successfully at Sissu Lake, she said.A five-member Geological Survey of India (GSI) team will visit Ghepan on Sep 1 for a 14-day scientific assessment. The team will map the lake and surrounding area, identify zones vulnerable to avalanches and landslides and study the lake’s depth, water flow and weather data. Its findings will be submitted to State Disaster Management Authority.The administration will also send its own team to assess the lake’s condition on the ground.The risk was flagged by ISRO in Nov 2023 after it detected a significant increase in the lake’s size and advised precautionary measures. In Jul 2024, a 23-member multi-departmental team visited Ghepan to assess the impact of a possible outburst and identify measures to minimise damage.Located around 11 km from Sissu, Ghepan has 34 vulnerable locations identified in the event of a lake outburst. Residents in these areas are being trained in disaster preparedness and rapid response, Bhadana said.Rapid Response Teams have also been formed in Sissu and Shashin villages, while the administration has sought additional funds from the State Disaster Management Authority for disaster risk-reduction measures.
