A video circulating on social media is making alarming and misleading claims about the safety of Bhakra Dam. The video says that the dam wall has tilted by 1.7 inches and warns that if the wall breaks, Punjab, Haryana, Pakistan’s Punjab and even Delhi could be hit by massive flooding.
भाखड़ा डैम की दीवार में 1.7 इंच का झुकाव आ गया है,
— Ravinder Bishnoi (रविन्द्र बिश्नोई) (@RavinderNadhori) August 27, 2026
यदि यह दीवार टूटती है तो पंजाब , हरियाणा , दिल्ली कुछ ही सैकंड में बह जाएंगे।
🚨 Bhakra Dam wall has developed a 1.77-inch outward deflection, beyond the permissible limit of 1.03 inches.
If the dam were to fail, the… pic.twitter.com/yTwU4ihoWK
The video further claims that the dam is holding around 1,680 feet of water and that, if it breaks, the water could move with such force that people would not even get time to leave their homes or save their goats, buffaloes and other cattle.
The video says that Bhakra Dam has developed an outward deflection of 1.77 inches, which is above the design limit of 1.03 inches, and presents this as a sign that the dam could fail.
However, official records show that the claim about the dam recording a 1.77-inch deflection is incorrect.
What do the official records say?
According to a Lok Sabha reply by the Ministry of Power, Bhakra Dam recorded its maximum deflection of 1.1770 inches on 19th November, 2025, not 1.77 inches. The design limiting value for deflection under non-seismic conditions is 1.03 inches. The same official record shows that the deflection had come down to around 0.9623 inches by 10th March, 2026.
Authorities say there is no immediate threat
Authorities have said there is no immediate threat to the safety or structural stability of Bhakra Dam. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has entered into an MoU with the International Centre for Excellence in Dams (ICED) at IIT Roorkee to look into issues related to BBMB dams, including the deflection recorded at Bhakra Dam.
The official records also show that the dam is being regularly monitored for deflection, stress and strain. As of 10th March, 2026, the readings for deflection, seepage and stress were within permissible limits.
The movement of the dam wall is linked to water pressure and its normal elastic response. As the water pressure reduces, the structure can move back towards its usual position.
Fact Check
The viral claim that Bhakra Dam has tilted by 1.77 inches and faces an immediate risk of collapse is misleading. Official Lok Sabha records show that the maximum deflection was 1.1770 inches in November 2025, not 1.77 inches, and it later reduced to 0.9623 inches by March 2026.
Authorities have stated that there is no immediate threat, while IIT Roorkee is examining issues related to the dam’s structural behaviour. The dam continues to be monitored, and the latest official readings show that it is safe.
