Glacial Lake Outburst in Bhutan Triggers Flash Flood Alert in West Bengal’s Alipurduar
A glacial lake outburst in Bhutan’s Gasa district has triggered flash floods, raising concerns in neighbouring West Bengal, particularly in Alipurduar district. The sudden surge of water has reportedly caused the Sankosh River to swell, submerging several adjoining areas.
Kumargram BJP MLA Manoj Oraon issued an alert on social media, urging residents living near the Sankosh River to move to safer locations.
In his message, Oraon warned that water from Bhutan could reach areas along the Sankosh River within the next one to one-and-a-half hours. He also said the administration was taking necessary measures to prevent a situation similar to the recent floods in Nepal.
According to Bhutanese authorities, the flooding was triggered by the breach of Shintaphu Lake, located beneath Wakila Mountain in Lungo, under Laya Gewog in Gasa district. The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) was reported at around 8:15 PM.
The powerful water flow washed away a major section of the Laya-Dzongkhag road near Tongchudrak, between kilometre 21 and 22. Vehicular movement along the affected stretch has been suspended.
Bhutan’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said officials would inspect the damage on Friday morning before beginning restoration work. Residents in nearby areas have also been shifted to safer locations as a precautionary measure.
An official from the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology said a river monitoring station at Taktsimakhang tracks water levels and triggers an alarm if the river crosses the danger mark. However, no such warning has been issued so far.
Shintaphu is among Bhutan’s 17 potentially dangerous glacial lakes and is connected to the Mo Chhu river system. The latest incident has heightened concerns over the risk of flooding in downstream areas, including parts of West Bengal.
