- The South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim experienced a breach, leading to severe flooding in
downstream areas. This caused casualties and displacements in the state. - Glacial lakes are large bodies of water formed in front of, on top of, or beneath melting
glaciers. - They can become increasingly dangerous as they expand, often dammed by unstable ice
or sediment composed of loose rock and debris. - Rising global temperatures have led to rapid glacier melting in the Sikkim Himalayas,
resulting in the formation and expansion of glacier lakes. - Sikkim Himalayas currently host more than 300 glacial lakes, with 10 identified as
vulnerable to outburst floods. - South Lhonak Lake’s size has significantly increased over the past five decades, rendering
it susceptible to GLOF events. - Earthquakes, such as a magnitude 4.9 quake in 1991 and a magnitude 6.9 event in 2011,
have raised concerns about the potential triggering of GLOFs in the region
