Srinagar, Sept. 4 -- The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government and the governments of other Himalayan States and Union Territories to strengthen monitoring and early-warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches, with a focus on vulnerable areas and timely evacuation.

The directions were issued during a review meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, which was attended by senior officials from Jammu and Kashmir and other Himalayan states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Representatives of central disaster management and scientific agencies also attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the preparedness of Himalayan regions t...