The Yamuna River in Delhi crossed the danger mark of 205.33 meters on Monday evening, following heavy rainfall in the city and neighboring states. The river also exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 meters on Tuesday morning, forcing the authorities to relocate people living in low-lying areas along the river.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) said that the water level at the Old Railway Bridge rose to 206.28 meters by 6 am on Tuesday and is expected to reach 206.65 meters by afternoon. The highest flood level of the river in Delhi is 207.49 meters.
The rise in water level is due to the release of excess water from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana, which receives water from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. According to the CWC, around 2.15 lakh cusecs of water was discharged from the barrage at 3 pm on Monday.
Yamuna River in Delhi Exceeds Danger Mark, Reaches 206.24 mtr: Central Water Commission:
#WATCH | Delhi | The water level in Yamuna River crosses the danger mark of 205.33 mtr, touching 206.24 mtr; the high flood level is–207.49 mtr: Central Water Commission pic.twitter.com/SuQ2U1VxY9
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2023
As a precaution, the rail and road traffic over the old Yamuna bridge was suspended from 6 am on Tuesday. The bridge connects east Delhi with the rest of the city and is used by thousands of commuters daily.
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The Delhi government has issued an orange alert and set up relief camps for the affected people. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said a flood-like situation is unlikely in Delhi, but the government is prepared to tackle any eventuality.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rain in Delhi and neighboring states for the next few days, which may further increase the water level in Yamuna. The IMD has warned of possible landslides and flash floods in the hilly regions.