A massive surge of water from a glacial lake brust in Bhutan has triggered flood alerts across parts of northern West Bengal and Assam
Xtreme News India
30-10-2026 19:45:20
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A massive surge of water from a glacial lake brust in Bhutan has triggered flood alerts across parts of northern West Bengal and Assam
Bhutan - Glacial lake outburst in Bhutan. A massive surge of water from a glacial lake in Bhutan has triggered flood alerts across parts of northern West Bengal and Assam, forcing thousands of people living along vulnerable riverbanks to move to safer locations.
The incident has once again drawn attention to a growing climate-related threat facing the Himalayan region: Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, or GLOFs.
A GLOF is essentially a sudden, often catastrophic release of water stored in a glacial lake. These lakes form when glaciers melt and water accumulates behind natural barriers made of ice, rocks and debris, known as moraines.
Unlike ordinary river floods, GLOFs can release enormous volumes of water within a short period, sending powerful torrents downstream. These floods can carry massive quantities of rocks, mud, boulders, trees and other debris, destroying bridges, roads, houses and hydropower infrastructure along their path.
A massive surge of water from a glacial lake in Bhutan has triggered flood alerts across parts of northern West Bengal and Assam, forcing thousands of people living along vulnerable riverbanks to move to safer locations.
The incident has once again drawn attention to a growing climate-related threat facing the Himalayan region: Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, or GLOFs.
A GLOF is essentially a sudden, often catastrophic release of water stored in a glacial lake. These lakes form when glaciers melt and water accumulates behind natural barriers made of ice, rocks and debris, known as moraines.
Unlike ordinary river floods, GLOFs can release enormous volumes of water within a short period, sending powerful torrents downstream. These floods can carry massive quantities of rocks, mud, boulders, trees and other debris, destroying bridges, roads, houses and hydropower infrastructure along their path.
The latest incident in Bhutan illustrates how a disaster originating high in the mountains can threaten communities hundreds of kilometres downstream.
Approximately 7.4 million cubic metres of water surged out of the breached Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan. The water travelled through the Mo (Mofu) river system towards the Sankosh river, raising concerns about sudden flooding in parts of West Bengal and Assam.
The administration evacuated thousands of residents, with schools being converted into relief shelters. Disaster response teams were also placed on alert. India's vulnerability comes from its geography, geology, climate and the concentration of people and infrastructure in Himalayan river valleys.
The Indian Himalayan region is home to thousands of glaciers and glacial lakes. As temperatures rise, glaciers are retreating, creating new lakes and expanding existing ones. This increases the potential volume of water that could be released during an outburst. The threat is particularly significant in Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
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