As of 4 pm today, the water level of the Yamuna River has reached 207.71 metres. It broke its previous record from 1978 of 207.49 metres earlier on Wednesday, July 12. Data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed water level of the Yamuna River is still rising. The national capital stands on the brink of facing floods and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged the Centre to intervene.

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In a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal requested the Centre to regulate the release of water from the Hathini Kund dam which is the main reason behind the Yamuna River's water level rising.

Kejriwal also pointed out that the G20 summit will be held in Delhi in a few weeks and that news of the flood in the national capital "will not send a good message to the world."

Over the past two days, Delhi has witnessed a rapid surge in the Yamuna River's water level, surpassing the danger mark of 205.33 meters 18 hours earlier than anticipated. By Monday night, the river had exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 meters, resulting in the relocation of residents in flood-prone areas and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge to road and rail traffic.

According to a senior official from the irrigation and flood control department, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge peaked first at 206.76 meters by 8 pm on Tuesday, marking the highest level since 2013 when the river reached 207.32 meters. As of July 12 afternoon, it had reached 207.54 metres.

The sudden rise was attributed to increased water discharge from Haryana's Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar, the continuous rainfall in the upper catchment areas and saturated soil from heavy precipitation in Delhi and nearby regions over the weekend.

ALSO READ | Delhi records highest single-day rainfall for July since 1982

To address the flooding, residents in low-lying areas have been relocated to higher ground. Various measures such as the deployment of 45 boats and NGO collaborations to provide relief have also been implemented for awareness, evacuation and rescue operations.

VIDEO | The Yamuna river in Delhi swelled to the highest recorded level in 10 years today as it crossed the 207-metre mark.

Delhi recorded a rapid increase in the Yamuna water level amid heavy rainfall over the last two days. pic.twitter.com/HC5pp4fs2c— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 12, 2023

As a precautionary measure, the Old Railway Bridge has been closed to traffic, and all gates of the Okhla Barrage have been opened to release excess water and prevent prolonged high water levels.

Multiple authorities, including district magistrates, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Police, Delhi Jal Board, and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, are working in coordination to manage the flood situation.

Social media has been inundated with videos of residents wading through knee-deep water in Yamuna Bazar as floodwaters enter low-lying areas. On Wednesday, a man died of electrocution after flood waters entered the slums near the Yamuna River in Faridabad, Haryana.

VIDEO | A man died of electrocution after flood water entered the slums near Yamuna river in Faridabad, Haryana. pic.twitter.com/Qv3g1PrICF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 12, 2023

During a press conference on Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reassured the public that while a flood-like situation is unlikely in Delhi, the city government is fully prepared to handle any potential emergencies.

The flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage, as reported by the Central Water Commission, reached 3,59,760 cusecs at 11 am on Tuesday, the highest in the past three days. Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas has contributed to the increased discharge, whereas the normal flow rate at the barrage is 352 cusecs.

#WATCH | Water level of river Yamuna continues to rise in Delhi. Visuals from Old Railway Bridge.

Today at 8 am, water level of the river was recorded at 207.25 metres at the Bridge, inching closer to the highest flood level - 207.49 metres. The river is flowing above the… pic.twitter.com/e46LLHdeVe— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023

Delhi's government issued a flood warning on Sunday and has instructed authorities to remain vigilant and take necessary actions in vulnerable areas. Control rooms have been established, motorboats have been deployed and rescue teams are prepared to respond to the situation.

Northwest India has experienced incessant rainfall over the past three days, resulting in overflowing rivers, creeks and drains that have caused infrastructure damage and disrupted essential services in various regions.

ALSO READ | Delhi rains: Evacuations begin as Yamuna River breaches danger mark | WATCH

Delhi witnessed its highest rainfall in a single day in July since 1982, with 153 mm of rain within 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Sunday. An additional 107 mm of rain was recorded in the subsequent 24 hours, exacerbating the situation. The heavy rainfall transformed roads into streams, parks into watery labyrinths, and marketplaces into submerged areas.

The Yamuna River system's catchment spans parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. The low-lying areas near the river, inhabited by approximately 41,000 people, are considered vulnerable to flooding.

Despite the land belonging to the Delhi Development Authority, the revenue department, and private individuals, encroachments on the river floodplain have occurred over the years.

With agency inputs.

First Published:Jul 12, 2023 10:32 AM IST