The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi has once again surpassed the danger mark on Sunday due to an increase in discharge from the Hathnikund Barrage. Heavy rainfall in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh has contributed to the surge in water flow into the river.
Delhi’s Revenue Minister Atishi said that the state government is on high alert as the Hathnikund Barrage released over 2 lakh cusecs of water into the river. She warned that certain parts of Yamuna Khadar (floodplains) might get inundated if the water level reaches 206.7 meters.
In recent days, the river’s water level has been hovering around the danger mark of 205.33 meters, after reaching an all-time high of 208.66 meters on July 13, prompting authorities to shift people to safer locations.
Data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) indicated that the water level rose from 205.02 meters at 10 pm on Saturday to 205.96 meters at 9 am on Sunday. It is projected to reach 206.7 meters by 4 pm.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai appealed to people to stay in the relief camps, as flood threat looms over.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand until July 25.
According to the CWC data, the flow rate at the Hathnikund Barrage, located in Yamunanagar, surpassed 1 lakh cusecs at 9 am on Saturday and fluctuated between 2 lakh and 2.5 lakh cusecs between 10 am and 5 pm. Subsequently, it remained between 1.5 lakh cusecs and 2 lakh cusecs.
Experts are warning that this significant volume of water poses a risk of mid-scale floods in the capital, which is still recovering from one of the worst flood spells it experienced in the second week of July.
During the previous floods, the Yamuna river had encroached on most of its floodplain in Delhi.
Heavy rains upstream of Delhi are expected to impact the rehabilitation of affected families in inundated low-lying areas of the capital, and they may have to stay in relief camps for an extended period. Furthermore, the water supply in the city may be affected, as it recently returned to normal after being disrupted for four or five days due to the inundation of a pump house at Wazirabad.
The ongoing waterlogging and flooding situation in parts of Delhi has been a result of intense downpours on July 8 and 9, with the city receiving 125 percent of its monthly rainfall quota within two days. Subsequent heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of the Yamuna further exacerbated the situation, leading to record-breaking water levels.
The floods have caused significant devastation, with over 27,000 people evacuated from their homes and extensive property, business, and income losses. Experts attribute the unprecedented flooding to encroachment on the river floodplain, extreme rainfall within a short period, and silt accumulation, which raised the riverbed.
Flood alert in Noida
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Noida, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration has issued a flood warning for low-lying regions along the Hindon as water discharge in the river increased. Around 200 people from five villages have been evacuated and shifted to shelter homes after the alert was raised on Saturday, Additional District Magistrate Atul Kumar told PTI.
The river is flowing below the danger mark of 205-metre in the district, bordering Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh, according to a senior officer.
“The Hindon is currently flowing at 200-metre, below the danger mark of 205-metre,” said Kumar, who is also the nodal officer for flood relief work in Gautam Buddh Nagar, which is located between Hindon and Yamuna rivers.