Artificial lake at 7k feet in Uttarakhand sparks flood fear

DEHRADUN: A 300m-long artificial lake that formed at 7,000 feet following heavy rain in Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district has sparked fear of flash floods among local residents, report Gaurav Talwar & Prem Punetha. The lake has formed in the Maalupati area after a landslide prompted by heavy rain blocked a seasonal nullah, Bhupendra Singh Mahra, district disaster management officer, confirmed to TOI.
In the past week, Pithoragarh district has received 44.9mm of rainfall with bouts of heavy showers at some places, including Munsiyari and Dharchula on Friday and Saturday, according to the regional meteorological centre.
A team of district administration officials visited the lake for inspection after local residents alerted them on Saturday. "A team of revenue officials was sent to the site. They are expected to submit a report on Monday and necessary steps will be taken," said the disaster management officer.
The officer added that the situation was being monitored and that the "assessed threat level" from the water body has been reduced since the water level of the lake was constantly going down.Nearby residents, however, are a worried lot. Vicky Chiral, a resident, admitted that the water level of the lake had reduced since Saturday, but added that the threat wasn't completely gone.