Kullu: In a major step towards disaster preparedness in the Indian Himalayas, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has developed an early warning system for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).The prototype system, which has been successfully deployed at the lake in Sissu in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, was tested by teams of officials from C-DAC and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Wednesday.According to C-DAC director general E Magesh, who led the prototype testing in Sissu, the system is designed to provide advance GLOF alerts, enabling timely evacuation and reducing loss of life in downstream areas.“We have designed and developed the first prototype early warning GLOF system and automatic weather station. This system was deployed at this glacial lake some three years ago when it was completely frozen. It’s successfully running and giving us data. The purpose is to give advance GLOF warning so that timely measures can be taken to evacuate people,” said Magesh.“This system was designed and developed by C-DAC and the intention is to make it completely indigenous. Today, we still import some of the sensors, but in future we would like to make it indigenous. The next version will carry indigenous sensors along with the control system that C-DAC has developed,” said Magesh, adding that more than 150 glacial lakes across India require a similar early advance system.The early warning system continuously captures and transmits real-time data to central servers via LoRa networks, satellite links and 5G connectivity. NDMA member Dinesh Kumar Aswal and secretary Manish Bhardwaj also inspected early warning system in Sissu. Aswal said the GLOF system would be capable of issuing warnings well in advance of a disaster.It may be mentioned that the Lahaul-Spiti district administration in July last had sounded an alarm over the expanding size of Ghepan glacial lake, which is located near Sissu at an elevation of around 4,070 metres in the Chandra sub-basin of the Indus.According to a study report by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the size of this lake has increased by 178% from 36.49 hectares to 101.30 hectares in a span of 33 years between 1989 and 2022.The volume of the lake is estimated to be 35.08 million cubic metres and a GLOF can trigger major devastation in Sissu area, which is located at an elevation of 3,070 metres and around 1,000 metres below the lake.Also, a study done by a team of scientists from the State Centre on Climate Change of the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE) revealed in 2024 that the number of glacial lakes increased by 13% from 414 in 2022 to 466 in 2023.Of the total mapped lakes, around 14% (67) were found in the Spiti sub basin, 12% (58) in the lower Satluj sub basin and a maximum 73% (341) in the upper Satluj sub basin. In its study report, HIMCOSTE issued a warning, stating that these lakes “pose a threat to the population living downstream due to their locations and potential to cause damage.”
