Yarlung Tsangpo Mega Dam (Geography)
Yarlung Tsangpo Mega Dam (Geography)
Why In News:
A study by researchers has identified an active geological fault, the Paizhen Fault, running beneath China's under-construction mega hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, which becomes the Brahmaputra after entering India.
Source: The Hindu, Page 16, 13 July 2026 - 'Chinese geologists question safety of Brahmaputra dam near India'
About the Project
Construction began in 2025 near Mainling, close to the river's 'Great Bend', where the Yarlung Tsangpo loops through the world's deepest gorge before entering Arunachal Pradesh.
On completion, it is expected to become the world's largest hydropower station, surpassing China's own Three Gorges Dam in installed capacity.
The Geological Findings
The Paizhen Fault has remained tectonically active since the Late Pleistocene and can trigger earthquakes, landslides, and slope instability.
The site lies along the Himalayan seismic belt, formed by the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically dynamic zones on Earth.
Brahmaputra River System
The Brahmaputra River originates from the Chemayungdung Glacier in the Kailash Range, near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet (China), where it is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo.
It enters India through Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang (Dihang), flows across Assam, and enters Bangladesh as the Jamuna after joining the Teesta River.
It subsequently merges with the Ganga (Padma) near Goalundo Ghat, combines with the Meghna River, and finally drains into the Bay of Bengal.
The Brahmaputra Basin extends across China (Tibet), Bhutan, India, and Bangladesh. In India, its catchment covers Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Sikkim.
The basin is bounded by the Himalayas to the north and west, the Patkai Hills to the east, and the Assam Hills to the south.
The river is approximately 2,900 km long, of which about 916 km flows through India.
Right Bank Tributaries: Lohit, Dibang, Subansiri, Jia Bharali, Dhansiri (North), Manas, Torsa, Sankosh, and Teesta.
Left Bank Tributaries: Burhi Dihing, Desang, Dikhow, Dhansiri (South), and Kopili.