At least 4,000 people have been moved to safer areas as parts of the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars region in West Bengal were placed on high alert following a glacial lake outburst flood in Bhutan.
“We have noticed no further rise in water level in the afternoon.
A glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) which has originated from the Sintaphu lake at Mochu subbasin Gasa has been reported.
VIDEO | West Bengal: State authorities have issued high-alert and evacuation warnings for residents living along the Sankosh River following a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in neighboring Bhutan.
If you reside along the banks of the Sankosh River in these vast stretches, please inform everyone around you as quickly as possible.
At least 4,000 people have been moved to safer areas as parts of the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars region in West Bengal were placed on high alert following a glacial lake outburst flood in Bhutan.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the situation is currently “completely normal”. “Throughout the night, until 4 a.m., the SP, ministers, MLAs, and the DM were all on-site, working. They were also in constant touch with our control room here. The crisis is currently well below the danger level — it is in the ‘green’ zone. Furthermore, we have established contact with the people who were reported missing earlier this morning. All 47 of them are safe,” he said.
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State Forest Minister Manoj Oraon said an alert for a possible rise in the water level of the Sankosh river was issued late on Thursday (October 29, 2026) night after the glacial lake outburst in Bhutan.
“After we received the alert, the district administrations in North Bengal took necessary measures. So far, over 4,000 people from 10 places in Kumargram and Tufanganj have been moved to a safe zone,” Mr. Oraon added.
Lock gates damaged
He also said that, according to initial information received last night, some lock gates on the Sankosh have been damaged due to rising water pressure. However, the situation is stable now.
“We have noticed no further rise in water level in the afternoon. It is stable now. We are still communicating with the Bhutan government regularly and monitoring the situation. National and State Disaster Response Forces are also on alert ,” he added.
A glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) which has originated from the Sintaphu lake at Mochu subbasin Gasa has been reported. The NCHM is currently monitoring the water level along the Mochu river at Tashithang. India has been informed. https://t.co/ArS7S73wd2 — The Bhutanese (@thebhutanese) October 29, 2026
In the morning, Minister for North Bengal Development Nisith Pramanik, who also holds the portfolio of Water Resources Investigation and Development, said a glacial outburst had occurred at Lemthang in Bhutan, with water from the lake flowing through the Mo river (also known as the Mofu river) towards the Sankosh.
Call for evacuation
In a video message, he urged everyone living in the catchment areas of the Sankosh river and all its tributaries to move to a safe distance immediately. Those living near riverbeds in Tufanganj and adjoining areas in Cooch Behar were also asked to evacuate immediately in view of the potential flooding. Loudspeaker announcements were made in riverbank settlements under the Rampur-I gram panchayat area, asking residents to leave their homes and move to designated shelters.
Nearly 7.4 million cubic metres of water had surged out of the breached Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan into the Mo river, raising fears of a sudden increase in the water level of the Sankosh, which flows along the West Bengal-Assam border.
VIDEO | West Bengal: State authorities have issued high-alert and evacuation warnings for residents living along the Sankosh River following a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in neighboring Bhutan. State Forest and Environment Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said, "Anyone who can is urged to immediately warn others in the affected areas. Special alerts are directed at the forest villages and hamlets bordering the Sankosh River, including the upper Sankosh forest village, the NKC Sankosh Tea Garden, Kumargram CD block, Chengmari, Valka Barabisa, Jharaguri and Pakriguri. If you reside along the banks of the Sankosh River in these vast stretches, please inform everyone around you as quickly as possible. A dam in Bhutan has breached. The floodwaters are expected to surge downstream within the next 1 to 1.5 hours. Please pass the word along without delay and evacuate people from these adjacent low-lying areas to safer ground, as the situation could turn critical. We must act quickly to prevent a disastrous situation like the one seen in Nepal." (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd) — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 29, 2026
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has also forecast heavy rainfall in Alipurduar on Friday (October 30), which could further complicate the situation.
