KOLKATA: Bengal forest minister Manoj Oraon late Thursday alerted residents living along the Sankosh river in Alipurduar’s Kumargram area after reports of an outburst from Shintaphu Lake in Bhutan’s Gasa district.The lake lies in the Mo Chhu catchment, which forms part of the Sankosh river system downstream.In a message, Oraon urged residents of Kumargram tea estate, Kumargram forest village, Pakriguri and Bholka to remain alert to rising water levels in the Sankosh and warned of possible flash floods.Shintaphu Lake, located below Wakila Mountain in Lungo, Laya Gewog, Gasa, experienced an outburst on Thursday evening, according to local reports.The reports said people in the affected area had been moved to safer ground. Locals were expected to assess any livestock losses on Friday.Shintaphu Lake is considered one of 17 potentially dangerous glacial lakes. It lies in the upper reaches of the Mo Chhu river basin.
