Bhutan's Tala Dam overflow sparks flood alert in Bengal, NDRF on "highest alert"

ANI, Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 5, 2025: Authorities in North Bengal have been placed on high alert after Bhutan's Tala Hydropower Dam began overflowing due to a technical failure, raising fears of downstream flooding in the Dooars region of West Bengal.

The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan, confirmed that the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) reported a malfunction in the dam gates, which failed to open, resulting in river water spilling over the structure. Bhutan has formally alerted the West Bengal government to prepare for possible impacts.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said its team based in Alipurduar has been put on the "highest alert level". All personnel on leave have been recalled, while an additional 15 rescuers from RRC Siliguri are being deployed to reinforce ground response.

According to the meteorological outlook, a storm system that originated over eastern Uttar Pradesh has moved eastward and is now approaching Madarihat in the Dooars. If heavy rainfall occurs in Bhutan's hills, rivers in North Bengal are expected to swell rapidly, increasing the threat of flash floods.

The NCHM has said its Flood Warning Group will continue to coordinate with DGPC for real-time monitoring of the situation.

District administrations across North Bengal have been advised to maintain maximum readiness, particularly in riverine and low-lying areas. Officials have also been urged to coordinate with Bhutanese authorities for updated hydrological data to mitigate potential impacts.

Meanwhile, the NDRF has deployed multiple teams in the rain-battered Mirik area of Darjeeling subdivision in West Bengal after torrential downpours triggered massive landslides, killing at least seven people and leaving several villages cut off from the rest of the region.

According to NDRF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohsen Shahedi, three teams have already been mobilised from Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Alipurduar, while two more teams, one each from Malda and Kolkata, are en route to the affected sites.

"Our personnel are engaged in intensive rescue and relief operations to locate missing persons and assist the stranded villagers," Shahedi told ANI.

Continuous heavy rainfall since last night has caused large-scale destruction in parts of the Darjeeling district, particularly in Mirik and Sukhia Pokhari areas, where roads and houses have been washed away.