Flood scare: West Bengal moves 12,000 to safety after Bhutan Glof swells Sankosh

Guwahati | New Delhi: West Bengal shifted 12,000 people living along the Sankosh in Alipurduar district to safety, while Assam closely monitored the situation in vulnerable areas of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts after the river's water level rose following a glacial lake outburst flood (Glof) in adjoining Bhutan, officials said.

The Assam government said the Indian Embassy had reported a Glof in Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan's Punatsangchhu river basin on Thursday evening. The water level in the Sankosh, which forms the inter-state boundary between Assam and West Bengal, rose by nearly two feet since this morning after a glacial lake in Bhutan's Gasa region burst its banks on Thursday evening, unleashing a massive volume of water mixed with mud, rocks and debris into the downstream river systems, they said.

Nearly 7.4 million cubic metres of water surged out of the breached Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan into the Mo River, causing an increase in Sankosh's water level. "We have shifted 12,000 people to safer areas as a precautionary measure. The situation is under control at present," officials told a news agency. The incident triggered flood alerts in parts of north Bengal and Assam, with authorities keeping a close watch on the water levels of rivers flowing down from the Himalayan kingdom. The Special Advisory for West Bengal and Assam said that the floodwater will travel downstream and reach the border in 6-8 hours and is likely to impact Alipurduar and Dhubri.


Local authorities in these two districts along the Sankosh river in West Bengal and Assam were advised to remain alert and closely monitor the situation and take precautionary measures.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on X, "We are closely monitoring the possible impact of the glacial lake outburst in Bhutan across all vulnerable revenue circles of Dhubri and Kokrajhar. Our teams are also in constant contact with NDRF and other agencies and are ready to respond if needed. Residents are requested to stay alert, follow official updates and cooperate with local officials."

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed in the affected areas in Alipurduar, while teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence and local administration are also being mobilised to strengthen the emergency response, the official said. "We are closely monitoring the water level and flow of the Sankosh River, while maintaining communication with officials in Bhutan to assess developments and obtain updates on the situation," officials said. There have been no reports of major damage or casualties in the Sankosh-adjoining Kumargram area of Alipurduar so far, they added.

Meanwhile, West Bengal tourism minister Dr Sankar Ghosh said the administration was on high alert and prepared to deal with any possible emergency. He added that no devastating incident had been reported in Alipurduar so far and that precautionary advisories had been issued to ensure public safety.