Bhutan glacial lake flood: Assam and North Bengal on high alert, Dhubri and Alipurduar at risk
PTC Web Desk: A glacial lake outburst in Bhutan has put districts in Assam and West Bengal on alert. Authorities in both states are watching the Sankosh River closely as floodwater moves downstream.
What happened in Bhutan
The flood was reported on Thursday evening at Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan’s Gasa district, in the northwest of the country. The lake sits at the source of the Mo Chhu River and is counted among the 17 glacial lakes in Bhutan considered potentially dangerous.
The surge completely washed away the facilities at Gasa Tshachu, a popular hot spring on the banks of the Mo Chhu. No deaths have been reported because the area had been evacuated earlier. The same hot spring was swept away once before, on August 26, 2021, when a flash flood made the river change its course.
By now the water has passed Srigang in Kabesa Gewog, about eight km from Punakha Dzong. A solar irrigation lifting system in Guma Gewog, Punakha, which was installed earlier this year, was also partly damaged in the flood, according to an official press release.
Bhutan has informed the governments of Assam and West Bengal, as border districts could face flash floods. Dhubri in Assam, and Darjeeling hills, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal are among the areas at risk.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that the state is closely tracking the situation. In a post on X, he said vulnerable revenue circles in Dhubri and Kokrajhar are under watch. State teams are in constant touch with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies, and are ready to act if needed. He asked residents to stay alert, follow official advisories and cooperate with local officials.
West Bengal on alert
Authorities across North Bengal have issued a high alert. In Cooch Behar, people living along the Sankosh River banks have been warned. The Sankosh begins in northern Bhutan, where the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers meet, and finally joins the Brahmaputra in Assam.
Amit Kumar Shaw, Superintendent of Police in Alipurduar, asked people not to panic. He said the administration is alert and all agencies are working and he hoped the situation would be sorted out within two to three hours.
Meanwhile, the Flood Forecast Monitoring Directorate of the Central Water Commission has issued a special advisory for Alipurduar in West Bengal and Dhubri in Assam. It says the flash flood in the upper stretch of the Punatsangchu, known as the Sankosh in India, could cause a sudden rise in water levels. The floodwater is expected to reach the border in six to eight hours. Local authorities have been told to stay alert, watch the situation and take precautions.
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- PTC NEWS
