Bhutan hot springs hit by flood from glacial lake burst

No injuries reported after glacial lake burst, causing a flash flood and disrupting Bhutan’s Gasa Tshachu hot springs.

A flood caused by the Shintaphu glacial lake bursting its banks has washed away infrastructure at the Gasa Tshachu natural hot springs in the Himalayan ⁠kingdom of Bhutan.

According to state broadcaster BBS on Friday, no injuries or loss of life had been reported from Thursday night’s flash flood.

It added that the extent of the damage was unknown because of “darkness and the strong flow” of floodwaters.

Two Bailey bridges, which are bridges built in portable, prefabricated sections, may also have been washed away, BBS said.

According to Kuensel, Bhutan’s national newspaper, part of the road leading to the village of Laya, where the springs are located, had also been washed away, rendering it impassable. It added that the road has been closed to traffic indefinitely.

Kuensel said that as authorities assess the damage, concerns have emerged about a large artificial lake formed after the flood-affected river channels conjoined following the outburst.

Residents along the Mochhu and Punatsangchhu river valleys were also advised to remain vigilant and avoid riverbanks and flood-prone areas, the report added.

Moreover, in neighbouring India, flood warnings were issued in parts of West Bengal and Assam following the glacial lake outburst, India’s NDTV broadcaster reported.

The hot springs at Gasa Tshachu are a major tourist attraction in the northern part of Bhutan, nestled between India and China.

They were also hit by a flash flood in 2021 when the Mochhu River changed course and swept through the area.

In neighbouring Nepal, a mountainous area about 600km (380 miles) to the west, a flash flood on its border with China in August killed more than 1,500 people and left more than 5,000 missing.