A research initiative led by Nagaland University is set to produce a detailed and near-accurate inventory of high-altitude glacial lakes in the Eastern Himalayas, focusing on their stability and the potential risk of catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
Funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the project examines glacial lakes in North Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, with particular attention to Tenbawa Lake in Sikkim and two glacial lakes in Arunachal’s Tawang region.
At the heart of the effort is a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Manasi Debnath, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Nagaland University. Collaborators include experts from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Sikkim University, the GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, and the Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Delhi.
“We are working to create a precise inventory of glacial lakes in the Eastern Himalaya and evaluate the dangerous lakes in terms of breach potential and volume of discharge,” said Dr Debnath. “These would be carried out using high spatial resolution satellite images, and necessary field validation and measurement for the potential lakes.”
The project proposes advanced bathymetric surveys and drone-based modelling to evaluate inundation levels, breach risk and reach of flooding in the event of a GLOF. Researchers will also study permafrost thawing, slope instability, and ecological vulnerability in the affected regions.
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The Lachung basin in North Sikkim and the Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh have been identified as key risk zones. “We propose to assess the glacial lakes of Arunachal and Sikkim, which have not been studied in detail for breach characteristics and area being impacted due to inundation at the time of GLOF,” Debnath added.
Palaeo-climatic studies at the Lachung sub-basin are expected to provide insight into historical GLOF activity, helping compare past and present frequencies and strengthening future climate vulnerability models. The research will also assist in distinguishing human-induced and natural causes of climate change.
“This project is a testament to Nagaland University's commitment to advancing frontier research for societal and ecological resilience in the Northeast region and beyond,” said Vice-Chancellor Jagadish K Patnaik, underlining the university's growing role in climate science.
The project is expected to inform government planners and policymakers, enabling them to build resilience infrastructure and enforce development restrictions in zones vulnerable to glacial lake breaches.
The findings will also support the development of the university’s new Glacier and Mountain Research Lab, designed to facilitate Himalayan ecosystem research.
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