The threat from a Bhutan glacial lake outburst flood has eased in North Bengal after precautionary evacuations and overnight monitoring by authorities, with 12,000 residents of Alipurduar moved to safer locations and officials reporting that no major disaster occurred in West Bengal.
Suvendu Adhikari said the situation in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar was under control after police superintendents, ministers and legislators worked until 4am and remained in contact with the Nabanna control room. He said the Sankosh river was flowing below its danger level and that reports of missing people had been resolved.
“Everyone is safe,” Adhikari said, according to the report by Sangbad Pratidin. He added that authorities had been able to establish contact with all those affected and said 47 people who had earlier been reported missing were safe.
The risk followed the collapse of a natural dam at Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan’s north-western Gasa district on Thursday evening. The collapse was linked to a glacier-related incident that caused a glacial lake outburst flood, sending water towards the nearby Gasa Tshachu area, where several buildings were reportedly destroyed during a flash flood at night.
Water from the lake was reported to be moving through Bhutan’s Mphu river towards the Sankosh river. This raised concerns that parts of Assam and West Bengal could face flooding as the flow moved downstream. Bhutan’s government subsequently alerted the administrations of West Bengal and Assam about the potential risk.
In Alipurduar, at least 12,000 local residents were moved to safe shelters as a precaution. Arrangements were made for drinking water and food at the shelters, according to the report. The evacuation reflected the potential for a sudden rise in river levels in areas connected to the downstream basin, even though authorities later said the Sankosh remained below the danger mark.
The incident also required coordination across national and state administrative systems. Bhutan issued the warning, while officials in West Bengal and Assam monitored the river and coordinated local preparedness. In West Bengal, the Nabanna control room remained in contact with district-level officials during the overnight response.
The episode highlights the operational difficulty of managing flood risks that originate beyond a state or national border. A glacial lake outburst flood can develop rapidly when a natural barrier fails, leaving downstream administrations dependent on early warnings, river monitoring, evacuation capacity and communication with communities in vulnerable areas.
For residents in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, the immediate concern was whether water levels would rise sharply and whether people living near the Sankosh and connected waterways could be moved in time. The reported evacuation and shelter arrangements were undertaken before any major flooding was recorded in the affected parts of North Bengal.
Authorities have said that the immediate danger has passed, with residents reported safe and the Sankosh flowing below its danger level. Continued communication between Bhutan, West Bengal and Assam remains the next operational step as officials monitor the downstream river system.
