Evacuations Underway in West Bengal and Assam Following Bhutan Glacier Breach

UPDATE - follow-up to Bhutan glacial flood triggers evacuations along India's Sankosh River: Authorities have ordered urgent evacuations across vulnerable areas of northern West Bengal and Assam after a massive volume of water breached the Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan, swelling the Mo River and threatening the Sankosh basin.

Evacuations And Warnings

West Bengal minister Nisith Pramanik urged residents near riverbeds and tea gardens in Cooch Behar, Tufanganj, Alipurduar, and Basirhat to leave their homes immediately. Loudspeaker announcements began late Thursday night under the Rampur-I gram panchayat, moving families and cattle to designated shelters. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista advised residents across the hills, Terai, and Dooars regions to stay vigilant. The Indian Embassy and the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology in Bhutan alerted Indian officials after millions of cubic metres of water poured out from the lake into the Mofu River.

Official Response

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force are on standby. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that his administration is closely tracking the situation across vulnerable revenue circles in Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts, while the Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported the Sankosh water level steady early Friday morning. The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti issued an advisory warning of sudden surges, and the India Meteorological Department forecast heavy rain in Alipurduar to compound the challenges. The flood threat also endangers hydropower infrastructure at the Punatsangchhu project, a joint venture between India and Bhutan. According to the Indian Express, the outburst originated near Wakila Mountain in Laya Gewog's Gasa district, with potential downstream effects also extending toward the Brahmaputra River.

Context

Glacial lake outburst floods happen when melting ice fills mountain lakes beyond their natural earthen walls, causing sudden downstream disasters. Himalayan regions remain particularly vulnerable to these flash floods during periods of heavy seasonal weather and rising global temperatures.