List out the causative factors and the impacts of Glacial lakes outburst floods in India. Suggest some measures to mitigate its impacts.
Glacial lakes outburst floods:
- It is the floods caused due to outburst of glacial lakes. The Himalayan states like Uttarakhand, Sikkim are surrounded by about 200 potentially dangerous glacial lakes formed by glacial melt.
- Glacial retreat in the wake of Global warming.
- Rapid slope movement into the lake.
- Severe flood disasters due to unpredictable and erratic monsoon.
- Human activities like mass tourism, road construction etc.
- Black carbon deposition over the glaciers (decreases its albedo)
- Other factors include earthquakes, long term dam degradation etc.
- cause catastrophic societal impacts for nearby communities.
- change ocean circulation patterns by reducing the salinity of the ocean surface.
- trigger changes in local and to some extent regional climate patterns.
- negatively impact geomorphology through stream erosions, meandering shifts etc.
- Access to early warning systems should be improved.
- Continuous monitoring of changing dynamics of Himalayas for hazard mapping.
- Creating infrastructures like dams, tunnels, concrete outflows, flood protection walls.
- Other measures like identifying vulnerable communities and community awareness.
- Preventing glacial lake outburst floods is so vital for ensuring our water security and the very lives of Indians living around the western Himalayan regions.