Centre monitoring 2,485 Himalayan glacial lakes; 56 classified as 'very high risk'
The Indian government is monitoring 2,485 Himalayan glacial lakes, with 56 identified as 'very high risk' for potential outburst floods. While the National Disaster Management Authority is implementing a mitigation program, officials confirmed that no end-to-end early warning system is currently operational.
Why it matters
Climate-induced glacial lake outburst floods pose a significant threat to downstream infrastructure and human life in the Himalayan region.
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday said it is monitoring 2,485 glacial lakes spread across the Himalayan river basins using remote sensing techniques. It also informed Parliament that 56 glacial lakes have been classified as 'very high risk' following a scientific assessment conducted in 2025 due to their potential to trigger Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, jal shakti state minister Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors glacial lakes larger than 10 hectares across four states and two Union Territories from June to October every year using remote sensing.The minister said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with national scientific agencies, carried out a scientific assessment of 189 high-risk glacial lakes across the Indian Himalayan Region in 2025."Based on the assessment, 56 glacial lakes were classified as very high risk considering their potential to trigger Glacial Lake Outburst…
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