Sikkim Enhances Monitoring to Combat Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

Sikkim is taking significant steps to address the risks posed by Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) as it hosts 40 high-hazard glacial lakes. The state has implemented a multi-layered strategy that includes real-time monitoring and engineering interventions. A High-Level Steering Committee and a Multidisciplinary Task Force have been established to oversee these efforts. With support from various central agencies, Sikkim is conducting extensive field studies and planning targeted interventions at critical sites. The need for regional cooperation is emphasized, as the fragile Himalayan ecosystem requires a collective approach to mitigate cascading risks from environmental changes and disasters. Recent floods in Nepal have highlighted the urgency of these measures.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 2, 2026, 12:23 IST

Strengthening Safeguards Against GLOFs in Sikkim

Members of the glacial lakes expedition team analyzing a lake in North Sikkim

Gangtok, Sept 2: Sikkim, home to 40 of the 189 high-risk glacial lakes identified in the Indian Himalayas, is ramping up its scientific monitoring efforts and implementing engineering solutions to mitigate the threat of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

Out of these lakes, 16 have been categorized as Category-A vulnerable, prompting the state to adopt a comprehensive strategy that includes real-time monitoring, scientific evaluations, and tailored mitigation measures.

To enhance its response capabilities, Sikkim has established a High-Level Steering Committee, led by the Chief Secretary, to oversee policy initiatives, along with a Multidisciplinary Task Force responsible for implementing on-ground mitigation strategies.

The Department of Science and Technology serves as the primary agency for hazard assessments, while the Sikkim Commission on Glacier Hazard, chaired by former Union adviser Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, is in the process of finalizing its findings.

Dhiren Shrestha, Secretary-cum-Principal Director of the Department, mentioned that monitoring stations equipped with pressure probe-based water-level sensors and automated weather stations have been strategically placed in high-risk areas, such as Kerang near Gurudongmar Lake and Dolma Sampa.

These systems are designed to provide continuous, real-time weather and hydrological data, enabling early detection of changes in lake conditions to facilitate preventive measures before a crisis arises. The state is also collaborating with central agencies for site-specific interventions.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs are supporting proposed measures at Shako Chho, while the Brahmaputra Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Central Water Commission are directly involved in planning mitigation strategies at Gurudongmar and other vulnerable locations.

Sikkim's preparedness initiatives are further bolstered by extensive field studies. Over the past two years, multi-agency scientific teams have conducted five major expeditions to map and evaluate GLOF risks in the state's high-altitude regions.

Principal Secretary Sandeep Tambe, who oversees the state's vulnerable lake assessment project, noted that many critical sites are located in remote areas of Mangan district, where the challenging terrain complicates scientific evaluations.

"The extreme terrain and elevation have made comprehensive scientific assessments both complex and logistically challenging," Tambe stated.

In response, the state has initiated targeted interventions at several high-risk glacial lake complexes.

At the Lhonak Complex, plans for a flood-retention structure at Dolma Sampa are advancing to the detailed design phase in collaboration with the Central Water Commission.

For Shako Chho, a high-risk water body lacking a natural outlet, officials have proposed a solar-powered pumping system to lower the lake's water level to the NDMA.

Additionally, at the revered Gurudongmar Complex, the state is partnering with the Brahmaputra Board to create a protective moraine plug safety wall aimed at reducing flood risks while maintaining the site's cultural significance.

These structural plans are based on scientific expeditions conducted from 2024 to mid-2026, during which researchers utilized Electrical Resistivity Tomography, bathymetric mapping, and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) surveys to evaluate lake characteristics and identify potential risk zones.

Officials recognize that the threats posed by the delicate Himalayan ecosystem cannot be managed by individual states alone.

"Sikkim is actively pursuing improved coordination across the broader Himalayan region to address cascading risks from environmental changes and disaster events in neighboring areas," officials emphasized, highlighting the necessity for a comprehensive regional strategy as Himalayan watersheds cross administrative and international borders.

The risks associated with GLOFs in the Himalayas have gained renewed attention following the catastrophic floods that impacted Nepal's Bhotekoshi-Trishuli corridor, underscoring the array of climate- and terrain-related hazards facing this vulnerable mountain region.