Breakthrough in flood prep: Bhutan starts sharing 72-hr rain data with state
Jalpaiguri: In a major breakthrough for flood preparedness in North Bengal, Bhutan has finally begun issuing 72-hour rainfall forecasts and realtime data—a long-standing demand of the Bengal state Irrigation department. The move is expected to significantly enhance early warning systems for the Dooars region, which faces recurring floods each monsoon due to heavy upstream rainfall in Bhutan.
Starting Thursday, the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology in Thimphu has started sharing detailed weather forecasts for its southern and western districts, including Dagana, Tsirang, Sarpang, Samtse and Phuentsholing, regions that directly impact the hydrology of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts in Bengal.
For decades, India’s irrigation officials had to rely solely on rainfall measurements from Bhutan, which is not appropriate to initiate timely evacuation or flood control measures. With the introduction of real-time, advanced forecasting, authorities can now take proactive steps to mitigate the effects of monsoon floods.
Chief Engineer of the Northeast Division of the state Irrigation department, Krishnendu Bhowmik, welcomed the move. “There are 74 rivers and mountain streams flowing from Bhutan into the Dooars. Until now, the absence of forecast data left us vulnerable during periods of intense rain. We often couldn’t evacuate residents in time.
But with this 72-hour forecast system in place, that gap has finally been bridged,”
he said.
He credited the breakthrough to persistent efforts by the state Irrigation minister and Chief Minister, who escalated the matter to both the Central government and Bhutanese authorities.
“Despite multiple meetings over the years, there was no concrete response. It’s only after consistent pressure and diplomatic engagement that Bhutan has agreed to share advance forecasts,” Bhowmik added. The impact of this move is already being felt. From June 27 to June 29, forecasts predict cloudy skies and light to moderate rainfall across key
Bhutanese districts.
Local administrations in flood-prone areas such as Chamurchi, Banarhat, Binnaguri, Birpara, Madarihat, Kalchini, Jaigaon and Hamiltonganj are now equipped to issue early alerts and organize timely evacuations if necessary.
Bhutan has also established several new weather stations. Samtse lies near Chamurchi in Jalpaiguri, Phuentsholing is adjacent to Jaigaon in Alipurduar and other stations monitor regions near Kumargram, Birpara, and Jhalong-Bindu—close to the Kalimpong border.
In addition to Bengal, Bhutan is reportedly extending its 72-hour forecasts to border regions adjoining Assam and other northeastern states, enhancing regional flood preparedness across a wider geographical area.
