Home Secretary reviews Himalayan States’ preparedness for glacial lake outbursts

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a meeting with Himalayan States and Union Territories on Thursday (September 3, 2026), to review their preparedness to face Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches, stressing the need for proactive monitoring, risk-informed planning, and stronger early warning systems.

The review meeting comes in the aftermath of the Nepal flash-floods which have claimed the lives of hundreds of people, while thousands remain missing.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretaries and State Disaster Management Authorities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Central Water Commission (CWC), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE).

Officials reviewed the evolving threat posed by GLOFs in the Himalayan region, focusing on monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes and snow-covered areas, identifying high-risk zones, mapping potential flow paths, improving the dissemination of alerts, evacuation planning, and strengthening emergency response mechanisms, the MHA said.

The States and UTs presented their preparedness and mitigation measures, including monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes, enhancement of early warning systems, last-mile communication of alerts, community awareness programmes, and deployment of response resources in hazard-prone areas. State-specific vulnerabilities and preparedness plans were also reviewed.

Mr. Mohan emphasised the need for continuous surveillance of vulnerable glacial lakes and avalanche-prone regions, particularly during periods of heightened risk, and called for close coordination among State agencies, district administrations, and scientific institutions to ensure timely action on warnings.

He said that preparedness efforts should move beyond a response-oriented approach and focus on preventive mitigation, risk reduction, and community-level readiness. The Home Secretary also urged States and UTs to regularly assess their preparedness plans, identify gaps in early warning and evacuation systems, and take corrective measures well in advance of any extreme event.

The Centre further asked States to expedite implementation of the GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned in 2024, and directed agencies to strengthen inter-agency coordination and regular sharing of risk information to minimise the loss of life and property in vulnerable Himalayan regions.