12,000 People Shifted to Safer Locations in North Bengal After GLOF in Bhutan

PTI, Oct 30, 2026, Kolkata: Around 12,000 people living along the Sankosh in West Bengal's Alipurduar district, downstream of Bhutan, were shifted to safer locations on Friday after the river's water level rose due to a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the adjoining Himalayan kingdom, a senior official said.

The evacuation was carried out after a glacial lake in Bhutan's Gasa region burst its banks on Thursday evening, unleashing a massive volume of water mixed with mud, rocks and debris into the downstream river systems, he said.

Nearly 7.4 million cubic metres of water surged out of the breached Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan into the Mochu River, causing an increase in the water level of the Sankosh, which flows along the West Bengal-Assam inter-state boundary.

The incident triggered flood alerts in parts of north Bengal and Assam, with authorities keeping a close watch on the water levels of rivers flowing down from the Himalayan kingdom.

"We have shifted 12,000 people to safe shelters as a precautionary measure. The situation is under control at present," the official told PTI.

The water level of the Sankosh River has risen by nearly two feet since Friday morning, he added.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed in the affected areas, while teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence and local administration are also being mobilised to strengthen the emergency response, the official said, while talking about the arrangements made in the wake of the situation.

"We are closely monitoring the water level and flow of the Sankosh River, while maintaining communication with officials in Bhutan to assess developments and obtain updates on the situation," he said.

There have been no reports of major damage or casualties in the Sankosh-adjoining Kumargram area of Alipurduar so far, he added.

Meanwhile, Bhutan-originating rivers flowing through Jalpaiguri district did not witness any water surge owing to the GLOF, another official said.

Block officials made precautionary announcements through public address systems at Banarhat on Thursday night following the GLOF alert, as Bhutan-originating rivers flow through the area, prompting some people living near the rivers to shift to safer places.