State authorities across Northern West Bengal and Assam were placed on high alert on Friday, October 30, 2026, following a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) at the Shintaphu glacial lake in northwestern Bhutan’s Gasa district.
The burst occurred below Wakila Mountain, sending a rapid surge of water into the upper reaches of the Punatsangchhu river system—known downstream in India as the Sankosh River.
Jal Shakti Ministry Issues Emergency Advisory
Responding to the sudden hydrological surge, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti issued an urgent advisory for border districts in West Bengal and Assam, warning that floodwaters would reach Indian territory within six to eight hours.
”Due to reported Flash flood in the upper reaches of Punatsangchhu (Sankosh River in India), water level is likely to rise suddenly in India in the districts of Alipurduar of West Bengal and Dhubri of Assam. Local Authorities along the Sankosh River are advised to be alert, closely monitor the situation, and take necessary precautionary measures,” the official advisory stated.
Precautionary Measures in Dooars and Assam
In West Bengal, disaster management teams and district administration officials began monitoring vulnerable riverside settlements in the Dooars belt, particularly across the Kumargram block in Alipurduar district.
Bishal Lama, West Bengal Minister of State for Home and Hill Affairs, confirmed that public address systems and local emergency services were activated to move residents living near riverbanks to safer, elevated locations. Similarly, in Assam’s Dhubri district, civil authorities have alerted riverside villages along the downstream path of the Sankosh River.
Heightened Himalayan Vulnerability
Shintaphu Lake is classified by glaciologists as one of Bhutan’s most dangerous high-altitude glacial lakes.
The incident follows a disastrous August 2026 glacial collapse in Nepal’s Langtang Lirung mountain region, underscoring rising concerns over climate-driven geological instabilities across the Himalayas.
