Sikkim lake warning system failed to sound a flood alert

An Advanced Warning System (AWS), installed at Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim less than a month before the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) failed to send any alert before the lake burst triggering a flash flood in the River Teesta, a senior state government official said, but the state's evacuation drill ensured that casualties were kept to a minimum.

- Joydeep Thakur

"Two AWS were installed at Lhonak Lake and Shako Cho Lake between September 9 and September 19 this year. Unfortunately, the system didn't send any early warning. Most probably it wasn't working when the incident took place," said VB Pathak, chief secretary of Sikkim. On the night of October 3, a GLOF at Lhonak triggered a flash flood that killed at least 92 people. Lhonak is one of the largest and fastest growing proglacial lakes in Sikkim and is among the 11 large glacial lakes monitored by the Central Water Commissio