Thimphu: Tala Dam has overtopped following unprecedented rainfall in western Bhutan, prompting flood warnings for downstream areas in India’s north Bengal region.
The Wangchhu river inflows surged from under 200 m3/sec at 4 AM yesterday to around 1,260 m3/sec by 11 AM, causing water to spill over the dam at about 7 AM yesterday. At the time, two of the four radial gates were partially open, and the Tala powerhouse was generating at 1020MW plus 10%. Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) said the situation remained the same as of 12:30 PM yesterday.
No casualties have been reported, as overnight duty staff were evacuated in time. DGPC is mobilizing resources to restore normal operations once river flows recede. Other power plants in Bhutan have mostly been shut down to prevent flood debris from affecting dam intake structures and generating equipment.
The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) has alerted West Bengal authorities to the potential impact. India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has placed its Alipurduar unit on the highest alert level and sent additional personnel to support rescue and relief operations.
The alert comes as north Bengal continues to recover from landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains, which have killed at least 18 people and damaged roads and infrastructure. Officials warn that rivers could rise rapidly, increasing the risk of flash floods in the Dooars region.
