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
