Bhutan Lake Outburst Prompts Flood Alerts and Evacuations

A glacial lake outburst in Bhutan prompted flood alerts and evacuations along the Sankosh River in West Bengal and Assam, as authorities monitored the risk of a rapid downstream rise. India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti warned that water levels could rise suddenly in Alipurduar district in West Bengal and Dhubri district in Assam. The advisory, issued after the Indian Embassy reported the outburst, said flooding in the upper reaches could affect the Sankosh. Officials said the surge could reach the India-Bhutan border within six to eight hours of the incident. In Alipurduar, residents of riverbank villages began leaving their homes after evacuation orders late Thursday. West Bengal minister Nisith Pramanik urged people in the Sankosh catchment and along connected tributaries to move to safer locations. Loudspeaker announcements were made in settlements under Rampur-I gram panchayat, and officials reported evacuation activity in the district. One report put the number evacuated at about 15,000, though that total was not independently confirmed in the other accounts. Dhubri authorities also remained on alert. An Assam State Disaster Management Authority spokesperson said the Sankosh...