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Bhutan Glaciers - Glacial Lakes |
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Bhutan Glaciers - Glacial Lakes |
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Lakes
in Lunana with high GLOF (glacial lake outburst flood) risks
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Bhutan's glacial lakes
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micro-organism, present mostly in Himalayan glaciers, develops black patches
on the glaciers and affects the pace of melting in glaciers. The team noticed
the black patches on the Wochey Lake and northern part of the Thorthormi
glacierin Lunana. |
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found that, among the existing glacier lakes in Lunana , Thorthormi
glacier seemed to be a potential danger for glacial lake outburst flood
or GLOF. "Many ponds and supra-glacial lakes have already formed on the
glacier and would grow every year and might become a big glacial lake in
the next 10 years," the report says. |
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With
a glacial lake at the tongue o fThorthormi glacier, the potential
of an outburst is higher because the 1994 flood had made the left lateral moraine unstable. There are also chances
of theThorthorm i( Thorthormi) lake pouring into the Raphstreng Lake, which is 2 kilometres long and 1.5 kilometres wide, if the moraine
connecting the two lakes becomes unstable, the report added.
If
the latter happens, it is predicted that Raphstreng will easily
burst, causing a huge GLOF along the Pho Chhu river.
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| However, the
director of geology department said that a GLOF was not predicted in the
next five years unless some natural disasters like earthquakes disturb
the foundations. "Retreating ice is swelling the Thorthormi glacier but we are confident that it will not burst for the next five years," he
said. "Beyond that, we cannot say anything since there are no data."
A
preliminary study report on the Chubda Tsho source of Chamkhar
Chhu in Bumthang stated that the glacial lake did not pose an urgent
danger of GLOF. |
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However, a detailed inspection of the threshold by glaciologists
was recommended.
In
October 2002 a team from the department of geology and mines has left for Punakha to
"hazel zone" the Punakha valley. This was a preparatory measure
in case of flash floods like that of October 1994.
The team, with the help of the dzongkhag, will demarcate land and restrict
construction, while a flood-warning unit has already been set up in Lunana.
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