Bhutan Lake Outburst: CWC issues flood alert for Assam and North Bengal, thousands move to shelters

The Central Water Commission has warned that rivers in Alipurduar district of West Bengal and Dhubri district of Assam could swell without notice, after a glacial lake outburst flood was reported at Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan.

The advisory, dated October 29, said the Indian Embassy in Bhutan had reported the outburst. The Commission said a flash flood in the upper stretch of the Punatsangchhu, which is called the Sankosh once it enters India, could push water levels up suddenly.

According to the advisory, the floodwater was expected to reach the border within six to eight hours, with Alipurduar and Dhubri likely to be affected.

The CWC asked the authorities in both districts to stay alert, watch the river closely and take precautions.

Assam

The Chief Minister's Office said Himanta Biswa Sarma is following the situation closely. In a post on X, it said the Dhubri district administration team was on the ground and ready to handle any downstream impact.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority said that no evacuations had begun in Dhubri or other districts of Lower Assam. It added that river levels across the state had not risen so far. District officials and State Disaster Response Force teams are ready to respond if needed.

West Bengal

Authorities have begun emergency preparations and issued alerts for low-lying areas along the Sankosh and its tributaries. People living near these rivers have been told to move to safer places, and residents of the Darjeeling hills, the Terai and the Dooars have been asked to stay alert.

Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista made a similar appeal, referring to the outburst at Lemthang in Bhutan. State Minister Nisith Pramanik said the state disaster management team had been activated, the National Disaster Response Force had been informed and volunteers had been deployed.

Alipurduar Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Shaw urged people not to panic and said officials were in touch with their counterparts in Bhutan.

He said 4,000 to 5,000 people had been moved into shelters and more than 6,000 others had been shifted to safer areas. State Disaster Response Force and Civil Defence teams are on site, and an NDRF team is on its way.

Shaw said the force of the water had eased a little, but the red alert for the Sankosh river system stays in force. Food, drinking water and other basics have been arranged at the relief centres, he added.