Climate News

A glacial lake bursts in Bhutan: no deaths, but a new lake raises fears downstream

A glacial lake outburst flood, when a lake held back by ice or loose rock suddenly breaks out, struck northwestern Bhutan on Thursday night. The Shintaphu glacial lake burst above the village of Laya in Gasa district, sending floodwater down the Mochhu river, The Hindu and Al Jazeera report.

Al Jazeera, running a Reuters report, says the flood washed away infrastructure at the Gasa Tshachu hot springs and that two Bailey bridges may have been lost. Citing the state broadcaster BBS, it says no injuries or deaths were reported. Both outlets point to a new worry: a large artificial lake formed where the flood channels joined, which could burst again.

“The crisis is currently well below the danger level — it is in the ‘green’ zone.” — West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, via The Hindu

The Hindu follows the water across the border. At least 4,000 people were moved to safer areas in the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars region of West Bengal, and districts in Assam were put on high alert.

How each outlet framed it

• The Hindu — the cross-border view: evacuations in West Bengal and alerts in Assam, as well as the damage in Bhutan.
• Al Jazeera — the damage inside Bhutan: the hot springs, the bridges and the road to Laya, now closed indefinitely.

Not yet known: how much damage the flood did, which officials said was hard to judge in the dark and strong current, and whether the new lake will hold.