📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gurtej Chauhan
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Study flags two Arunachal Pradesh lakes as high‑risk for glacial outburst floods, 36 others medium risk
✍️ The Assam Tribune
🗓 03 Sep 2026, 12:03 PM
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A recent study has identified two lakes in Arunachal Pradesh as being at high risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) and another 36 lakes as medium‑risk.
The research, cited by The Assam Tribune, surveyed glacial lakes across Arunachal Pradesh and applied established hazard criteria to assess their stability. Two lakes were found to possess the most critical combination of water volume, moraine weakness and downstream vulnerability, placing them in the high‑risk category for a sudden outburst flood.
In addition to the two high‑risk lakes, the study classified 36 other lakes as medium‑risk, meaning they could pose a threat under certain trigger conditions such as heavy rainfall or seismic activity. Authorities are urged to prioritize monitoring and early‑warning systems for these water bodies.
Experts warn that climate‑induced glacier melt and erratic weather patterns are increasing the likelihood of GLOF events in the Himalayas. The findings aim to guide state disaster‑management agencies in allocating resources for risk mitigation and community preparedness.
Local officials have been asked to coordinate with scientific institutions to conduct field inspections and install remote‑sensing equipment where feasible. The goal is to reduce potential loss of life and property in downstream villages that could be affected by a sudden lake breach.
The study underscores the growing need for integrated glacial‑lake monitoring in the region, as similar hazards have already caused damage in neighboring Himalayan states.
In addition to the two high‑risk lakes, the study classified 36 other lakes as medium‑risk, meaning they could pose a threat under certain trigger conditions such as heavy rainfall or seismic activity. Authorities are urged to prioritize monitoring and early‑warning systems for these water bodies.
Experts warn that climate‑induced glacier melt and erratic weather patterns are increasing the likelihood of GLOF events in the Himalayas. The findings aim to guide state disaster‑management agencies in allocating resources for risk mitigation and community preparedness.
Local officials have been asked to coordinate with scientific institutions to conduct field inspections and install remote‑sensing equipment where feasible. The goal is to reduce potential loss of life and property in downstream villages that could be affected by a sudden lake breach.
The study underscores the growing need for integrated glacial‑lake monitoring in the region, as similar hazards have already caused damage in neighboring Himalayan states.