A landslide on the Indo-Tibetan border has blocked the course of the river Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) resulting in the formation of a reservoir. This may cause flood in downstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam if the barrier of mud and debris bursts under pressure from water accumulating on the other side, says a Down to Earth report.

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The reservoir was noticed by jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in mid-April. They alerted the Arunachal Pradesh administration. The mud wall, blocking the river, is said to be 49 metres thick. A breach in it will affect Siang district in Arunachal and Dhemaji district in Assam, said Keshab Chhatradhara of People’s Movement for the Subansiri and Brahmaputra, fighting construction of mega dams in the region.

Government officials said the landslide in Namcha Bawra mountain might have occurred in December 2008. “On December 21, the water level in the Siang (as the river is known in Arunachal) dipped from 1.84 metre to 1.80 metre in Tuting sub-divisional area close to the border,” said Onit Panyang, deputy commissioner of East Siang district. The water resources department is monitoring the level of the river and people have been alerted, he said.