An Overview of GLOF Hazards andRisk Reduction Initiatives in Bhutan

gChhador Wangdi
Director
Department of Disaster Management, Bhutan“Reducing Disaster Risk for a Safe and Happy Bhutan”
Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2016

Outline
11. Introduction
I t d ti on GLOF hazards,
h d risksi k andd vulnerabilities
l biliti
2. The1994 and 2015 outburst from Lugge Tso (lake) andLemthang Lake and its impact
3 Policy initiatives and institutional mechanisms in3.
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
4. GLOF risk reduction programs
5 Conclusion
5.

GLOF Hazards in Bhutan• 677 glaciers and 2,794 glacier lakes in the Bhutan
Himalayas (ICIMOD & DGM, 2001)• 25 glacier lakes potentially dangerous• 21 outburst
tb t cases ini Bhutan
Bh t (SATREPS PProject,j t 2012)• 17 events between 19th century and the 1970s• 4 cases of outburst in the last 40 years• 28 June 2015, Outburst of Lemthang Tsho (Latest GLOF)

Potentially Dangerous Lakes
Out of 2794 glacial lakes, 25 has been identified as potentially dangerous lakes.

Pho Chu sub-basin: most vulnerable valley interms of GLOF disaster
Recently studies (DGM-JICA/JST) concluded
Raphstreng and Thorthomi lake as the two
ppotentiallyy dangerous
ggglacier lakes in Bhutan

GLOF Risk & Vulnerabilityy• Over
O 70% off settlements
ttlt locatedl t d alongl theth drainaged ibasinsb i• Impacts downstream across the border

Infrastructures downstream
NoProjects

Capacity Start
COD FY
MW Date FY

1. Punatsangchhu‐I 1,200

2009

2015

2. Mangdechhu

720

2010

2017

3. Punatsangchhu‐II 990

2010

2019

4. Sankosh Reservoir 250020112020

5. Kuri‐Gongri
Amochhu
6.
Reservoir
7. Kholongchhu

1,800

2012

2020620

2012

2018

650

2012

2018

8 Chamkharchhu‐I
Ch kh hh I
8.

670

2012

2018

9. Wangchhu

600

2012

2018

10. Bunakha Reservoir 180

2012

2018

11. Nikachhu
12. Khomachhu
13. Rotpashong
14 Gamri
Gi
14.
15. Dagachhu
Total

2012
2014
2012
2013
2009

2017
2017
2019
2017
2013

208
327
918
102
114
13,159

The October 7,, 1994 Lugge
gg Tsho ((Lake)) Outburst

Impactsp
downstream

Impactsp
downstream

Impactsp
downstream

Lemthang Lake Outburst on 28
June 2015Location: 28° 4‘ 1"N; 89° 34‘ 52"E
Elevation: 4290 msl
Length: 445m
Area: 0.076 sq km
Avg depth: 66.29m
Avg.
29m
Deepest point: 14.42m
Volume: 0.37 million m3

EMPTY LAKE AFTER GLOF

Source: DigitalGlobe

Lemthang Tsho: Before GLOF

Photo taken in May 2015
Source: Google photo: Sebastian Kammer, May2015

Lemthang Tsho: After GLOF

Empty
Photo taken in July 2015

Loss and damages from Lemthang GLOF
DamagesNo./acreBridges washed away

4 Nos

Land affected

1 acreHorse lost

4 Nos

Timber washed away

148 piecesLandslides

3 Nos

Estimate loss (Nu.
Million)Source0.976
Layay Gewogg
Administration

Observation

Policyy and Institutional interventions• Up-gradation
Ud ti off erstwhilet hil Division
Di i i off DisasterDi t Management
Mt
to Department of Disaster Management in 2008
• Development of National Disaster Risk Management(NDRM) framework in 2008
• Creation of Division of Glaciology under Department ofGeology and Mines in 2010
• Development
pof Disaster ManagementgAct• Disaster mainstreamed in 11th Five Year Plan (2013-2017)

Reducing Climate-Induced Risks and Vulnerabilities
from GLOF
Climate Change risk advocacy andawareness: Department of DisasterMManagementt
Installation of GLOF early warning system:
Department of Hydro‐Met ServicesArtificialAtifi i l llowering
i off ThThorthormi
thi LLake:
kDepartment of Geology and MinesGLOF Hazard Zonation & Vulnerabilityy assessment• Lunana
Lto Khuruthang
Kh h town, Punakha:
P kh A
Austro-BhutaneseBh(1999-2002)• Khuruthang-Lhamoizingkha (Indo-Bhutan Border): DGM
under Netherlands Climate Assistance Program (NCAP(NCAP,2007)• Chamkhar valley, Bumthang: DGM in 2007 funded by
the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

GLOF Hazard Mapsp ((Punakha-Wangdueg& Chamkhar))Hazard & Risk Mitigation works
Moraine Barrier

Thorthormi Tso
Rapstreng Tso

Results in the thinning of the moraine barrier between Rapstreng and Thorthormi TsoRaphstreng
pg Tsho ((Lake)) Mitigationg((1996-1998))• BasedB d on assessment afterf 1994 Lugge
LT outburst,
Tsob
Raphtsreng Tso found to be critically dangerous• Work started in 1996 to lower the water level by 4m• FundedF d d bby ththe RRoyall GGovernmentt off Bhutan
Bh t &Government of India• Coordinated by the Ministry of Home & Cultural Affairs

Raphstreng Tsho (Lake) Mitigation (1996-1998)

Thorthormi Tsho (Lake) risk mitigation (2008-2012)• Design
D i forf 4 years withi h 4 months
h off working
ki ddurationi eachh year
• 360 workers• USD 4.23 million +RGOB Co-financing• Objective : lowering lake level by 5m in Thorthormi Tso(Approx. to 17 million cubic meters)• Successfully lowered the lake level by 5m• Reduced GLOF risk from the lake
• Minimal impact to the environment• Benefits
fi ini terms off income
igenerationi to theh communitiesii

Thorthormi Tsho (Lake) risk mitigation (2008-2012)

Early Warning System for GLOF
• UnderU d theh GLOF projectj a comprehensive
h i EWS installed
i ll din the Pho Chhu and Punatsang Chhu valleys to provide
sufficient lead time for evacuation• Community awareness EWS through mock drill• Sites identified along the valley for emergency evacuation

Early Warning System for GLOF
• UUnder the GLOF
G O projectp j a comprehensive
pEWS
WS installed in the Pho
Chhu and Punatsang Chhu valleys to provide sufficient lead timefor evacuation• 31 Vulnerable communities identified• Public consultation meeting for Information sharing on GLoF event• Communityy Focal Points for Earlyy Warningg in each vulnerable area
• Community Focal Points issued with Mobile phones/sim card/monthly vouchers• ToR developed for Community Focal Points• Information Flow mechanisms arranged

Early Warning System for GLOF

Mock drill for evacuation during GLOF
• MockM k ddrillill ini eachh vulnerablel bl communities
i i byb activating
i ithe automatic EWS;
• To ensure fast, organized and smooth evacuation duringemergencies• To test the working conditions and effectiveness of GLoF
Early Warning System• To familiarize with evacuation sites/route

Conclusions• Timely
Ti l interventions
ii haveh definitely
d fi i l enhanced
h d GLOF
disaster resilience in the Punakha-Wangdue anddownstream communities from GLOF hazard• Through the mitigation process at the source
source, hazard
cannot be totally eliminated , therefore EWS andcommunity
it awareness isi a vitalit l componentt off theth project
j t
towards holistic disaster risk reduction

Why Awareness - Flood Scare!!!

Waiting to be washed awayབཀའ ནི ་མཆེམཆ་ལགས།བཀའ་Thanka Youou
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