Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, addressing the 9th State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) meeting on Monday, directed officials to conduct a comprehensive study on high-risk glacial lakes and enforce safe construction practices following recent cloudbursts and flash floods that caused widespread destruction. The state has recorded 19 cloudbursts this monsoon season, claiming 14 lives, with 10 incidents in Mandi district alone on June 30–July 1, alongside eight deaths in 23 flash floods, one in 16 landslides, and eight by drowning, as per the State Emergency Operation Centre.

Sukhu mandated that government projects and private constructions be set up at least 100 meters from rivers and streams to minimize losses, emphasizing the growing threat of climate-driven natural disasters. He highlighted the need to combat misinformation on social media, designating SDMA as the sole authority for issuing weather alerts. The CM raised concerns about rising cloudburst incidents with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, noting that Mandi and Shimla districts faced 123% and 105% excess rainfall, respectively, causing significant devastation.

The government is strengthening disaster preparedness through a Rs 891 crore disaster risk reduction project, set for completion by March 2030, which will enhance the SDMA and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and improve early warning systems. A new State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) campus is being established in Palampur, Kangra, and the State Institute of Disaster Management will be set up at Dr. Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla, with Himachal Pradesh University leading research efforts.

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This directive aligns with warnings from glaciologists about glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), particularly at Gepang Gath Lake, Himachal’s largest glacial lake, which risks doubling in size due to warming permafrost and glacial retreat. A 2023 study underscored the lake’s vulnerability to mass movement, threatening downstream areas like Sissu village. Sukhu’s proactive measures follow last year’s catastrophic Sikkim GLOF, which killed over 100, highlighting the urgent need for mitigation in Himalayan states.

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