YouTube video by Leigh Coates

YouTube video by Leigh Coates

Thursday’s Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) from Shintaphu Lake in Gasa suggests that an outburst from the upper lake may have triggered the flood,

【Emergency Observation】GLOF in Gasa district, Northwestern Bhutan on 29 October, 2026

A GLOF at Bhutan’s Shintaphu Lake has triggered flood alerts in Assam and West Bengal. Here is how glacial lake outburst floods occur and why the Himalayas are vulnerable.

THE WORD LAYA describes the natural rhythm that has carried the people of the Himalayas through monsoons and drought for centuries. Across the peaks and glaciers, the populated mid-hills and the footh...

On October 29, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) was reported in Bhutan’s Gasa district, affecting communities along the Mo Chhu valley. The flood followed the outburst of Sintaphu Tsho, a moraine-dammed glacial lake situated at an elevation of about 4,480 metres near Wakila mountain. The resulting floodwaters destroyed the Gasa Tshachu hot springs site and damaged roads connecting the area to Laya, a highland settlement, disrupting local access and livelihoods. Initial reports indicated that there had been no casualties. Precautionary measures were taken and downstream alerts issued in India, particularly in Assam and West Bengal. While the cause of the GLOF and the volume of water released remain to be established, on October 30, Bhutan’s National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) issued advisory about the formation of another artificial lake at Taktsemakhang, near the confluence of the Sintaphu Chhu and Lungu Chhu rivers, also known as the Gangchen Tag Chhu. Communities along the Mo Chhu and Punatsangchhu valleys were advised to remain vigilant and avoid riverbanks and flood-prone areas. The event highlights a broader challenge in managing GLOF risks across the Himalayas: translating scientific assessments of potentially dangerous glacial lakes into sustained monitoring, effective preparedness and timely responses...

On October 29, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) was reported in Bhutan’s Gasa district, affecting communities along the Mo Chhu valley. The flood followed the outburst of Sintaphu Tsho, a moraine-dammed glacial lake situated at an elevation of about 4,480 metres near Wakila mountain. The resulting floodwaters destroyed the Gasa Tshachu hot springs site and damaged roads connecting the area to Laya, a highland settlement, disrupting local access and livelihoods. Initial reports indicated that there had been no casualties. Precautionary measures were taken and downstream alerts issued in India, particularly in Assam and West Bengal. While the cause of the GLOF and the volume of water released remain to be established, on October 30, Bhutan’s National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) issued advisory about the formation of another artificial lake at Taktsemakhang, near the confluence of the Sintaphu Chhu and Lungu Chhu rivers, also known as the Gangchen Tag Chhu. Communities along the Mo Chhu and Punatsangchhu valleys were advised to remain vigilant and avoid riverbanks and flood-prone areas. The event highlights a broader challenge in managing GLOF risks across the Himalayas: translating scientific assessments of potentially dangerous glacial lakes into sustained monitoring, effective preparedness and timely responses...

Kathmandu, 30 October 2026 – The glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) from Sintaphu Lake in Bhutan has triggered downstream alerts in the Indian states of West Bengal and Assam, drawing attention to…

Juneau Afternoon featuring The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls Halloween event, Evening at Egan lecture on GLOF, SAIL's Adaptive Ski Program, and Public Radio Music Day with KRNN DJ The…

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A glacial lake outburst flood in northern Bhutan has put parts of Assam and West Bengal on alert, with authorities watching the Sankosh river system for a sudden rise in water levels. The outburst was reported on Thursday evening, October 29, at Sintaphu Lake near Wakila Mountain in Lungo, Laya Gewog, in Bhutan’s Gasa district. […] The post Bhutan GLOF triggers flood alert in Assam, North Bengal appeared first on EastMojo.

YouTube video by CNN-News18

A glacial lake is a large body of water that sits in front of, on top of, or beneath a melting glacier. A GLOF occurs when the water dammed by a glacier or a moraine (accumulation of debris) is released suddenly. One of the worst GLOFs took place in Sikkim in 2023, killing 55 people. GLOFs and other Himalayan flooding events — such as the recent Nepal tragedy, the 2013 Kedarnath disaster, the 2021 Chamoli flooding, and the 2025 Dharali mudslide — are reminders of the vulnerability of the region to major disasters. Though they were all triggered by a unique set of circumstances, each of them involved a very large and sudden release of waters in the mountainous rivers. What are GLOFs, and how vulnerable are the Himalayas to these phenomena? According to the NDMA, the retreat of glaciers as a result of climate change that is occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayas has given rise to numerous new glacial lakes, breaches in which can cause GLOFs. A GLOF occurs when a large mass of water dammed by a glacier or a moraine is released suddenly. When glaciers melt, the water in these glacial lakes accumulates...