Early warning systems set up in disaster-prone zones of Uttarkashi, Tehri

UTTARKASHI: In view of the rising frequency of natural disasters and cloudburst incidents, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) has installed early warning systems in vulnerable areas across Uttarkashi and Tehri districts.Under the project, automatic weather stations have been set up in the Bhagirathi and Bhilangna catchment areas. Ten stations were installed in the first phase. In the second phase, five more stations were established at Kandi Saur, Gajoli village in the Assi Ganga valley, Gherka and Bagori in the Lambgaon region, and Chaundiyat village.THDC official Amit Rawat said, "The system would operate under an inflow forecasting framework and the mechanism will help estimate the volume of water likely to flow into Tehri Dam during heavy rainfall or cloudbursts in the upper catchment areas."Tehri Dam, built on the Bhagirathi river, stands about 260.5 m high and is considered the tallest dam in the country. The project is significant for several states, including Uttarakhand, in terms of power generation and water management.Officials said the devices will provide real-time data on rainfall, snowfall and river flow in the upper catchment areas, helping authorities issue timely alerts during disasters.Automatic gauge and discharge stations have also been installed to monitor river flow. Such stations are already operational at Harsil, Dharasu, Ghansali and Sarasgaon, while new stations have been set up at Jhala, Manera Bypass, Tekhla Bridge (Assi Ganga), Jalkur Gad, Anil Gad (Dharasu), Budhakedar and Dhopaddhar.To monitor snow conditions in the upper Himalayan region, snow gauges have been installed at Gangotri and Harsil. Automatic Water Level Recorders have also been deployed at Tehri Dam and Koteshwar Dam to monitor water levels.