ITANAGAR, Oct 31: The water of the barrier lake formed at Milin section of the Yarlung-Tsangpo River in Tibet started overflowing from 9.30 am on Wednesday.
The barrier lake was formed as a result of another landslide at Milin section at about 11 AM on 29 October.
Disaster Management Secretary Bidol Tayeng said that as per the information provided by the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources “it has started overflowing since 9.30 am on Wednesday morning”.
Tayeng informed that the length of the present landslide over river Yarlung- Tsangpo is 1.70 km only.
Earlier, the length of the landslides which occurred on 20 October over river Yarlung- Tsangpo was 3.50 km.
He further said that since the magnitude of landslide was less than the previous one, it is expected that the height of the debris is also lower this time.
Informing that water of about 330 MCM only is said to have been accumulated in the barrier lake, Tayeng said, blocked water which started flowing downstream in the morning, will lead to rise of water level in river Siang.
‘It has also been reported that a breach at the landslides blockage has taken place and that the width of the breach is about 50 mt. Water is said to have been continuously flowing in the river downstream through the breach,’ Tayeng informed.
The water reached Tuting in Upper Siang district in the evening at about 5.55 PM on Wednesday, and the water is likely to reach Pasighat at about 3 AM in the morning on Thursday.
Further, it is estimated that the level of flood water in river Siang will be less than the 20th October flood, Tayeng said. Therefore, he said, no major danger or damage is expected from today’s flood in Siang valley.
However, Tayeng said, ‘ if the present overflow creates a major breach at the block point, the water discharge may be more, leading to higher water level in river Siang.’
The concerned deputy commissioners have sounded alert to all people living along the Siang River, and people have been asked to avoid going to the river for fishing, swimming, boating, picnic or any other activity.
Meetings for alerting the people and for taking precautionary steps have been taken by the concerned DCs with their officers and public, the disaster management secretary further informed.