Guwahati: Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang said on Wednesday that the state govt had conducted a detailed assessment of glacial lakes and the risks they pose following the devastating Oct 2023 flood.Speaking to the media after inaugurating the newly constructed Sikkim Guest House in Guwahati, Tamang said the state was working with the Centre on glacial lakes identified by the scientists as potentially vulnerable.Sikkim witnessed a flood on Oct 3-4, 2023. Tamang said the state govt had worked closely with Centre to manage the situation and address the risks following the disaster. “After that, we have worked in depth on the work that needs to be done regarding the glacier lake, how it should be managed and what measures we can take to prevent such incidents in the future,” Tamang said, outlining the steps taken after the disaster.“We have focused on what further steps needed to be taken, particularly regarding glaciers and the risks associated with them. We have already carried out the necessary work to assess these risks, determine what more can be done to prevent or minimise the risks,” he said.Scientists have identified around 16-17 glacial lakes in Sikkim as potentially vulnerable, Tamang said. “Detailed reports have already been prepared for 13 of these lakes and submitted to the Central government. Meetings have also been held with the Centre on the issue, while further assessment and mitigation work is currently underway,” he added.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Sikkim department of science and technology have recently identified 16 high-risk proglacial and supraglacial lakes as potential sources of catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Of these, 13 are located in North Sikkim and three in West Sikkim.Glacial lakes are formed when melting glaciers create depressions that accumulate large quantities of meltwater. A sudden breach of such a lake, triggered by factors such as excessive water accumulation or earthquakes, can result in a GLOF, sending destructive volumes of water downstream.The Oct 2023 GLOF in Sikkim claimed at least 60 lives and caused extensive damage across Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi districts. It also destroyed the Chungthang dam, a key component of a major hydropower project.
