Looming tragedy: Sikkim lake that overflowed in 2023 was unstable for years, new study finds

The flood devastated the Teesta Hydroelectric Project Stage-III (1200 MW), washed away the dam and flooded the underground powerhouse.

New Delhi: A new paper on the 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood that killed nearly 100 people in the northwestern part of Sikkim has revealed the magnitude of damage a GLOF can trigger. It also found that the surroundings of the South Lhonak lake have been unstable for a long time revealing that such an event was waiting to happen.

A sudden cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim resulted in a flash flood in the Teesta River in the Lachen valley in October 2023. (PTI File Photo)

The paper, published in journal Science on Friday states that part of the lateral moraine that collapsed into the lake