India's Glacial Lake Burst: A Warning of Future Disasters

The overflow of Lhonak Lake in India's Sikkim state caused the Teesta 3 dam to be swept away, resulting in widespread destruction and the loss of at least 41 lives. Despite warnings dating back to 2001, no early warning systems were installed. A 2021 paper by Indian glaciologist Ashim Sattar predicted the possibility of a flood wave overwhelming the dam site due to a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). Climate change, with rising temperatures, melting glacial ice, intense monsoons, and softening permafrost, is expected to worsen GLOFs. The lack of monitoring for the thousands of glaciers in the region means such disasters will continue to increase.