A glacial lake outburst at Sintaphu Lake in Bhutan triggered emergency flood alerts across West Bengal and Assam. Minister Nisith Pramanik said, "Residents living near tea gardens and riverbeds of Cooch Behar, Tufanganj, and Basirhat must evacuate immediately." Authorities asked communities along the Sankosh and Brahmaputra rivers to stay alert.
A glacial lake outburst flood at Sintaphu Lake in Bhutan has triggered emergency evacuation alerts across West Bengal's Cooch Behar and Assam's Dhubri districts.
Several West Bengal districts, including Cooch Behar, Tufanganj, and Busirhat are on high alert over flood threat along the Sankosh river after a glacier burst in Bhutan's Gasa district. Communities along the Brahmaputra, a large part of which flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, have also been asked to remain alert.
The exact location of the glacial lake outburst was the Sintaphu Lake, near Wakila Mountain in Lungo, Laya Gewog, reported Bhutan media website Daily Bhutan.
So far the full extent of the damage is not known.
West Bengal minister Nisith Pramanik said, "Residents living near tea gardens and riverbeds of Cooch Behar, Tufanganj, and Basirhat must evacuate immediately due to potential flooding along the Sankosh and Brahmaputra rivers." He said Assam's Dhubri is also likely to be afected.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said: "The overflowing water from the lake is flowing through the Mofu River towards the Sankosh. Therefore, everyone living in the catchment areas of the Sankosh and all its tributaries have been asked to immediately move to safe zones. Everyone in our Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars regions must stay alert."