Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday said his government is on high alert and it will begin evacuations along the bank of the Yamuna river if the water level crosses 206 meters. This afternoon, the Yamuna crossed the warning mark of 204.5 metres in Delhi as Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage amid persistent rains in the upper catchment areas.
The water level at the Old Railway Bridge increased 204.63 metres at 1 pm on Monday. The water level is anticipated to rise to 205.5 metres between 10 am and 12 noon on Tuesday, crossing the danger mark of 205.33 metres. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said a flood-like situation is unlikely in Delhi but the government is prepared to tackle any eventualities.
The Delhi government issued a flood warning on Sunday and is creating awareness among people living close to the river banks. The chief minister said the evacuation of people in low-lying areas will start once the river breaches the 206-metre mark. Authorities have been instructed to stay vigilant and take necessary action in vulnerable areas. Also, quick response teams and boats have been deployed.
The IMD today said that it is expecting up to 12 cm of rainfall in Delhi. It has issued a yellow alert for Delhi today. “Tomorrow onwards, we’re expecting rain to abate slightly over the north-west Himalayan region,” IMD-Delhi Scientist Soma Sen said.
The Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms, including a central control room, to monitor the flood-prone areas and the water level of the Yamuna. In the last few days, northwest India has seen incessant rainfall, with many areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan recording “heavy to extremely heavy” precipitation. This has resulted in overflowing rivers, creeks, and drains that have damaged roads, houses, and other infrastructures in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and J&K.
Delhi witnessed its highest rainfall (153 mm) in a single day in July since 1982 in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday. The city received an additional 107 mm of rainfall in the subsequent 24 hours, exacerbating the situation. CM Kejriwal said Delhi received 153 mm of rain on July 8 and 9. He said the city’s systems are not designed to take such unprecedented rain, and that is why people faced troubles.
(With inputs from PTI)
