SRINAGAR: Parts of West Bengal and Assam have been placed on high alert following a glacial lake outburst in Bhutan that triggered flash flooding and raised concerns over a possible sudden rise in water levels in the Sankosh river, according to media reports.
More than 10,000 people have been shifted to relief shelters and safer locations in West Bengal, while authorities in Assam’s Dhubri district have stepped up preparedness to deal with possible downstream flooding.
The outburst released large volumes of water through the Mo Chhu river towards the Sankosh river system, prompting disaster response measures in vulnerable areas.
The flash flood swept away infrastructure at the Gasa Tshachu natural hot springs in Bhutan’s Gasa district. No casualties or injuries have been reported, Bhutan’s state broadcaster, Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS), reported on Friday.
The extent of the damage caused by the late-night flooding remained unclear, as darkness and the strong flow of water hampered initial assessments, BBS said. Two Bailey bridges, built using portable prefabricated sections, may also have been washed away.
Bhutan’s national newspaper Kuensel reported that sections of the road leading to Laya village, where the hot springs are located, were washed away, leaving the route impassable. The road has been closed to traffic indefinitely.
The area was evacuated before the floodwaters reached the hot springs, the newspaper reported.
A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), also known as a jökulhlaup, occurs when the natural barrier holding back a glacial lake breaks, releasing a large volume of water downstream.
Such floods can cause extensive damage to roads, bridges, settlements and other infrastructure, particularly in mountainous regions.
