Dehradun: Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said authorities are monitoring a lake which formed near Raini village in Joshimath after the catastrophic glacier burst earlier this week.
A report by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology said the debris brought by the flashflood has blocked a stream that joins the Rishiganga, leading to the formation of a temporary lake.
If breached, the new lake could cause further damage in the valley, the report added. Satellite pictures suggest it is at the confluence of Raunthi Gad and Rishiganga.
Rawat said the government is aware of the lake and is monitoring the water body with the help of satellite imagery. He also urged people not to panic and exercise caution.
"This lake is about 400-meters long. However, the government does not have data about its depth and how much volume of water it contains," he said.
He further said a team of scientists have been dispatched for the lake adding that the government is also trying to get them to the spot of the lake formation to assess the ground situation.
Meanwhile, Geologist SP Sati said it is commendable that the government is keeping an eye on this lake, but at the same time wondered why the lake has not been found yet.
The Chamoli district administration has issued an alert asking people to avoid going to the banks of the Rishiganga after sunset.
A glacier broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, which led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.
(With inputs from ANI)
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