Bhutan glacial lake burst triggers flood warning in Assam, Bengal

A major glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Bhutan's high-altitude region has triggered flood warning in several districts of Assam, West Bengal. The outburst was reported from the Sintaphu Lake on Thursday night, prompting a flood alert in the low-lying districts of North Bengal and Assam.  The Government of India has issued a special advisory for parts of West Bengal and Assam, warning that water levels could rise sharply along the Sankosh River. Besides Assam’s Dhubri district, alerts have been issued across parts of North Bengal, including the Darjeeling hills and Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar districts.

VIDEO | West Bengal: High alert sounded in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar over fear of rising Sankosh River level after glacial lake disaster in Bhutan. #Bhutan #GlacialLake https://t.co/pTLv7GprBM

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 29, 2026

The outburst was reported on Thursday evening at Shintaphu Lake, located below Wakila Mountain in Lungo, Laya Gewog, in Bhutan's Gasa district. Sirens were sounded to alert people living near riverbanks, while residents in the affected area were reportedly moved to safer ground.

People in Bhutan are seen fleeing in panic following a glacier burst. Sudden, severe flooding has hit the India-Bhutan border, raising fears of a major disaster in Lower Assam and West Bengal tonight. #BhutanGlacierBrust #Disaster #Trending #viralreels #Newsupdate https://t.co/RUNo0vxPkD

— Anamika Dutta (@AnamikaDutta77) October 29, 2026

Alipurduar SP Amit Kumar Shaw advised residents not to panic. "The situation is currently under control. We are in constant touch with the authorities in Bhutan. Our police team, the District Magistrate and the Block Development Officer (BDO) with their respective teams, along with all relevant agencies and stakeholders are working together in close coordination. Our SDRF team is present, and an NDRF team is also on its way. A Civil Defence team is also deployed. We have already moved approximately 4,000 to 5,000 people into shelters, utilizing school buildings as relief centers," he told a news agency.  
State disaster response forces, alongside local administrative machinery, have established round-the-clock control rooms to track river discharge rates. Flood warnings have been sounded in key border districts, including Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, and Dhubri in Assam, alongside Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in West Bengal, where rapid water level spikes could trigger flash flooding and severe bank erosion.