Delhi’s flood rescuers face sleepless nights, dangers on the Yamuna

District magistrate east Delhi, Amol Srivastava, said that over 1,100 rescue personnel have been deployed across Delhi to manage the flooding situation and assist with evacuations.

As the Yamuna’s water level rose over the past few days, forcing evacuations in several areas along the river, emergency response teams worked round the clock to rescue stranded people and animals. 

Rescue workers in DDMA undergo a 21-day training programme after selection. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said their operations had been relentless. “We do not have a defined shift. As and when an emergency occurs, we are sent to the spot,” said Sunil Kumar, a member of an NDRF team deployed in the city. 

Long hours, tough conditions 

For many responders, the work extended late into the night. “When we are sent to a spot, we have to find food and water on our own and sleep nearby in case an emergency arises,” said 37-year-old Javed Saifi, who works in the northeast emergency operation centre (EOC) of DDMA. 

“At around 3 am on Thursday morning, we rescued three men from the top of a tree in a thick jungle in the floodplains near Shastri Park metro station. They said they had gotten stuck there because they were asleep during the evacuations,” Saifi recalled. 

District magistrate east Delhi, Amol Srivastava, said that over 1,100 rescue personnel have been deployed across Delhi to manage the flooding situation and assist with evacuations.

Training and preparedness 

Saifi explained that rescue workers in DDMA undergo a 21-day training programme after selection. “During the training camp, we are trained for various situations, including basic first aid, operating rescue boats, and how the control room runs,” he said. 

Explaining their approach in the field, Saifi added, “When we rescue someone from a flooded area, we first immediately make them wear a life jacket so that they are not at further risk of drowning. After that, we assess them for injuries and carry out any basic first aid if it is required.” 

Countless rescues 

Rescue teams said they had lost track of the number of operations they had carried out in recent days. “There is no average count. Sometimes we have to go twice, sometimes ten times. It depends on the severity of the situation,” said another rescue worker, who requested anonymity. 

Their responsibilities, they said, extended beyond rescue. “We were sent to areas along the riverbank to announce that the water level will rise soon and that people must leave and get to higher ground. The rest of the year, we deal with any other emergency that arises, such as earthquakes, bomb blasts, and smaller incidents like gas cylinder explosions inside houses,” the worker said. 

“There are many difficulties, such as operating the boats and navigating the waters when it is dark, as the depth is not even. The timings also get difficult, but we have to adjust,” Saifi said.