Glacial lake outburst flood in Bhutan washes out Gasa Tshachu facilities
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India & neighbourhood· Prelims·
Transboundary disaster management and hydrological risks: a GS2 and GS3 case study.
Why in news
Bhutan issued an alert to West Bengal and Assam regarding potential risks from a glacial lake outburst flood at Shintaphu Lake in the Gasa District.
Background
A glacial lake outburst flood at Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan's Gasa District washed out facilities at Gasa Tshachu and crossed Srigang. The flood reached eight kilometres from Punakha Dzong, prompting alerts for Dhubri, Darjeeling hills, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri.
Facts for Prelims
- PlaceGasa Tshachu: Facilities washed out by the flood in Bhutan
- PlaceSankosh River: River near which residents in West Bengal were advised not to panic
- FactThe flood reached eight kilometres from Punakha Dzong
Prelims practice question
Which river near West Bengal was mentioned in the alert regarding the glacial lake outburst flood?
- (a)Damodar River
- (b)Brahmaputra River
- (c)Sankosh River
- (d)Teesta River
Show answer
Answer: (c) Sankosh River — Residents in West Bengal were advised not to panic regarding the Sankosh River.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the importance of transboundary disaster management mechanisms between India and its Himalayan neighbours in mitigating the risks of glacial lake outburst floods.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Data-sharing gap: Lack of real-time hydrological data sharing between Bhutan and Indian states
- Infrastructure vulnerability: High risk to downstream Himalayan settlements and riverine transport corridors
Keywords: transboundary cooperation · glacial lake outburst flood · disaster mitigation · hydrological risk · early warning systems
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.