Regular surveillance was going on. Advance warning was also provided through technology. Because of these two reasons, the lake broke and floated around, but the loss of life was avoided in Bhutan? Before the lake disaster in neighboring countries, that advance warning technology was spread almost everywhere. After the disaster in Nepal, monitoring of dangerous mountain lakes began in Bhutan.
The Dragon Country has installed monitoring equipment to monitor almost every dangerous glacial lake. So, the lake has been signaled to be safe. The siren has sounded. Residents have gone to safe shelter before the water recedes. The power of the Harpa Ban was so strong that hot springs, roads, cattle, houses were washed away in one fell swoop. West Bengal and Assam state administrations were warned by Bhutan government last night. In Bhutan, rainwater flows down rivers into the Dwars. Due to the fear of floods, the administration issued warnings in Kumaragram, Banarhat and Mainaguri. At least 12,000 people were evacuated to safe shelters from the riverside areas of Alipurduar district.
On Thursday evening, a huge amount of water washed away rocks, soil, trees and rushed down to the Gasa district and entered the 'Mo Chu' river. Destroyed Gaza and Punakha. The Bhutanese administration sounded a siren to evacuate the residents of the vulnerable areas along the river banks to safe places, but there were no reports of casualties, but large areas were flooded. Several towns in northern Bhutan have been cut off due to road collapse. Residents of Sankosha in Duars and areas adjacent to Jaldhaka River have also been evacuated to safer areas. Although the water level of those two rivers is normal till Friday afternoon. But the danger is not over.
According to Bhutan administration sources, artificial lake has been formed in Taktsemathang at the confluence of Lunana and Gangchen Tag Rivers due to drifting wood, stones and soil from Sintapu Lake. If the natural dam is broken and the water comes down suddenly, danger may arise. Because of that, the residents of the river valley have been asked to be careful. Bhutan's success in preventing loss of life from glacial lake disasters has brought the country's lake disaster and Harpa volcano risk management to the fore in geoscientific circles. Madhusudan Karmakar, principal of Chopra College and a geo researcher, said, “Bhutan is experimenting with various methods to avert disaster. An initiative has recently been taken at Thorthormi Lake in Lunana where the water level of the lake is lowered in a controlled manner using a siphon system. So the country has been successful in averting the disaster.” No casualty has been reported in Bhutan till this night. However, a large number of cattle were reported to have been swept away by the flood.
It is reported that on Thursday evening, about 74 lakh cubic meters of water overflowed the Sintapu Lake under the Wakila Hills of Gasa District in Northern Bhutan and flowed into the Mo Chu River. According to Bhutan's 'National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology', Sintapu is one of the 17 dangerous glacial lakes in Bhutan. Experts from Bhutan conducted research on this lake between May and June 2023. The water from Sintapu falls into the 'Mo Chu' river and flows south through Gasa and Punakha. At Punakha, the river 'Mo Chu' joins the river 'Fo Chu' and takes the name 'Punatsangchu'. This river enters India known as 'Sankosh' river. Because of that, the government of Bhutan warned the government of West Bengal and Assam.
After Nepal's Harappa volcano, surveillance of Bhutan's glacial lakes was increased. It is reported that Bhutan has a total of 17 dangerous glacial lakes. An experimental 'siphoning' method has been started to reduce the water in those lakes. 'Bhutan National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology' is doing this work. Experts believe this breakthrough is a major step towards averting the risk of the devastating Harpa volcano breaking the artificial dam of the glacial lake. However, in the process, the walls of Lake Sintapu in Bhutan burst. The administration is working on how much damage has been done.