GUWAHATI: Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been put on high alert after China alerted India about an “abnormal” increase in the volume of water in the Yarlung Zangbo (or Tsangpo) river due to a cloudburst in the Tibetan region on Wednesday. The water, at its highest volume in 50 years, is now flowing towards the lower riparian states of India, China warned.

“According to a report received from the Chinese government, relayed to the Arunachal Pradesh government by the Centre, the Tsangpo river is swelling because of heavy rainfall over the Chinese section of the river. On Wednesday morning, the observed discharge was 9,020 cumec at various gauge discharge stations on the Tsangpo, the highest in 50 years,” a statement issued by the East Siang district administration in Arunachal Pradesh said.

A fortnight ago, the volume of the Tsangpo was 8,070 cumec, the Central Water Commission had reported. “The incremental quantity of 950 cumec should not inflict severe damage,” the district administration added.

The unusually high waves in the Siang river had led to some concern on the Indian side since the cause of the change was not known then.

District officials of Upper Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Dhemaji in Assam have issued alerts to people living in low-lying areas. Deputy commissioner of Upper Siang, Duly Kamdok, has asked them to be moved to safer places as a precautionary measure. Deputy commissioner of Dhemaji, Roshni Aparanji Korati, has asked for the people to be ready for evacuation at short notice in case of an emergency. “We are monitoring the water level of the Siang river at Tuting (about 500 km from Dhemaji town), so that we get enough time. We have not started the evacuation, but we have requested people in low-lying areas to be ready to move out should the need arise,” Korati told TOI.

The East Siang district administration has also cautioned the people against venturing into the Siang river for fishing, swimming and other activities to avoid any eventualities.

The Tsangpo, which originates from the Lake Konggyu Tshointo in Kailash range, traverses 1,625 km through the Tibetan region of China before it enters India in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh as Siang river. It then flows as Dihang for 226 km, up to Pasighat in East Siang district, where it joins two other trans-Himalayan rivers, Dibang and Lohit, and becomes the Brahmaputra river that flows into plains of Assam.

