India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared temporal satellite images (referring to before-and-after) of Sikkim’s Lhonak Lake, which shows how flooding impacted the lake.
"It is observed that Lake is Burst and about 105 hectares area has been drained out (28 September 2023 image versus 04 October 2023) which might have created a flash flood downstream," an ISRO statement said on Wednesday.
ISRO has conducted a satellite-based study on the Outburst of the South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim by obtaining temporal satellite images (before & after) over the Lake.
© Photo : isro
The Indian Space Agency said that it will continue monitoring the lake using satellite data.
The image was taken at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, after the cloudburst and flash flood wreaked havoc in the state, washing away large parts of a hydroelectric project, killing 14 people, and hundreds are reportedly missing.
The image also shows that the lake is reduced by more than half, with only an estimated 60.3 hectares of water in it.
Sikkim received 40.9mm of rainfall between Tuesday and Wednesday morning – about five times its normal rate of 8.6mm (0.3 inches) for this time of the year.