A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) occurred at Shintaphu Lake (also reported near the Lemthang/Lim Tang region) in the Gasa district of northwestern Bhutan on Thursday evening, October 29, 2026. #Key Details of the Incident * Location: Shintaphu Lake (below Wakila Mountain in the Lungo area of Laya Gewog, Gasa district) at the source of the Mo Chhu River. * Water Volume Released: Roughly 7.4 million cubic metres of water rushed into the river system. * Casualties: No loss of life or injuries have been reported, as local authorities evacuated vulnerable areas beforehand. * Impact in Bhutan: * Facilities at Gasa Tshachu (a natural hot spring near the Mo Chhu River) were completely washed out. * At least two Bailey bridges collapsed. * Floodwaters reached the PHPA-II dam reservoir, which had all its sluice gates opened and was completely empty. * Road infrastructure such as the Laya road suffered washouts. # Downstream Alerts & Warnings * India (West Bengal and Assam): Bhutanese authorities alerted India as swollen waters flow via the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu * Affected / Alerted Regions: * West Bengal: High alerts have been issued in the Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars regions—including Kumargram in Alipurduar district, Jalpaiguri district, and areas along the Sankosh River in Cooch Behar. * Assam: Vigilance and flash-flood warnings have been sounded in Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts. Source : media
— Saheli (@Saheli350137) October 30, 2026
