Chinese scientists warn Himalayan mega-dam site is geologically unstable

September 16, 2026 at 05:00 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Chinese scientists warn that the site of the world's largest dam under construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River in Tibet has loose, weakly bonded soil and is prone to landslides and earthquakes. The dam, near the militarized Indian border, will surpass the Three Gorges Dam in capacity, and its reservoir will affect downstream areas in India and Bangladesh. The warnings come even as Beijing releases limited information about the project.

Key Facts

The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River in Tibet will have a generating capacity exceeding the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world's largest.
Chinese geologists writing in the state journal Sedimentology and Tethys Geology describe the construction site's soil as having 'loose structure and weak cohesion' and warn of landslide and earthquake risks.
The reservoir will hold back water above millions of people living downstream in northeastern India and Bangladesh, a low-lying delta country.
The project is located in the Himalayan seismic belt, where destructive earthquakes have occurred in the past, and the large reservoir may induce seismic loading (RTS).
The authors recommend strengthening reservoir banks, installing retaining structures, and redesigning key elements to reduce disaster risk.

Geological Warnings

Chinese scientists publishing in the state-run Chinese-language journal Sedimentology and Tethys Geology list serious geological threats at the construction site. The geologists conclude that the soil has 'loose structure and weak cohesion' and warn that movements along the fault line or earthquakes could easily trigger serious instability, endangering the reservoir and surrounding infrastructure. The authors recommend strengthening the reservoir banks, installing retaining structures, and redesigning key elements to reduce the risk of catastrophe. The region lies in the Himalayan seismic belt, where destructive tremors have occurred in the past, and the large reservoir may induce seismic loading (RTS).

Downstream Impact

The dam's generating capacity will completely eclipse the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world's largest. Its reservoir will hold back gigantic volumes of water above millions of people living downstream in northeastern India and Bangladesh, a country located in the river delta and only slightly above sea level. Beyond the geological threat, the project controls an international transboundary water flow and may affect ecosystems and agriculture in downstream countries. Information about the project is published extremely sparingly, which raises international concern.

Proposed Safeguards

The article proposes inviting an independent international group of experts to review the project. It also recommends an annual exchange of hydrological data with India and Bangladesh, warning mechanisms, and mandatory international consultations on any changes to the project. The new dam is being built in the area of the great bend of the Brahmaputra River, where the river rushes through the world's deepest and longest gorge before entering India.