Delhi Rain: Amid incessant rains over the past few days, Delhi has been put on high alert as the Yamuna river has risen to 206.24 metres, slightly above the danger mark of 205.33 metres. According to the Central Water Commission, the high flood level is 207.49 metres. The Central Water Commission said, “The water level in Yamuna river has crossed the danger mark of 205.33 meters and reached 206.24 meters; High flood level – 207.49 meters.”
Due to incessant rains, an increase in the water level of Yamuna was also observed in Vikasnagar of Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. Officials said the rising level of the Yamuna river has also prompted people living in flood-prone areas to shift to safer places.
The reason for the increase in the water of Yamuna
The water level in Yamuna is rising continuously due to the release of excess water in the river from Hathinikund barrage by Haryana amid rains in northwest India including the national capital. According to the Flood Control Department, about 2,15,677 cusecs of water was discharged from Hathinikund barrage at 3 pm on Monday (July 10). The normal flow rate of the barrage is 352 cusecs, however, heavy rainfall in the catchment areas increases the flow. Significantly, one cusec is equal to 28.32 liters per second. According to reports, it takes about two to three days for the water from the barrage to reach Delhi.
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal denied any flood-like situation in the national capital, while addressing a press conference, he also said that his government is prepared to deal with any situation. He had said that evacuation of people from low-lying areas would begin as soon as the river crossed the 206-metre mark.
According to reports, the Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms to monitor flood-prone areas and the water level of the Yamuna.
North India is in the grip of continuous rain
It has been raining continuously for the last three days in Northwest India, with “heavy to very heavy” rainfall recorded in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
As a result, rivers, creeks and streams are in spate, causing widespread damage to infrastructure and disruption of essential services in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Delhi witnessed the highest rainfall (153 mm) in a single day in July since 1982 in a 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday. The city received an additional 107 mm of rain in the next 24 hours, further worsening the situation. Heavy rains turned roads into raging streams, parks into water mazes and markets into waterlogged areas.