Relief for Delhi as Yamuna recedes below evacuation mark; thousands affected
The Yamuna stood at 206.36 metres at noon on Saturday and dropped further to 206 metres by 8pm.
After causing four days of flooding in low-lying neighbourhoods across Delhi and parts of the NCR, the Yamuna finally began to ease on Saturday, receding below the evacuation mark late in the evening. At 10pm, the river was recorded at 205.91 metresat the Old Railway Bridge, down from a peak of 207.48 metres earlier this week — the highest level this season.
According to Central Water Commission (CWC) data, the Yamuna stood at 206.36 metres at noon on Saturday and dropped further to 206 metres by 8pm. Forecasts suggest the level will continue to decline to 205.45 by 8am on Sunday though the river is flowing above the danger mark at the Old Railway Bridge as of Saturday night.
As per Delhi’s Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department, 204.50 metres is considered the warning level, 205.33 metres the danger mark and 206 metres the evacuation threshold. The Yamuna breached that point at 6am on Thursday, when it touched 207.48 metres — holding steady until 7am on Saturday before beginning its slow fall.
Also Read | Most DDA Yamuna floodplain parks submerged; recovery may take months
The river’s rise and fall in Delhi is directly linked to water releases from the Hathnikund barrage on the Haryana-Uttar Pradesh border. Officials said discharges had reduced steadily since Friday, and was standing at 47,302 cusecs at 7pm on Saturday — down from 55,667 cusecs at the same time on Friday and 136,844 cusecs on Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}The river’s rise and fall in Delhi is directly linked to water releases from the Hathnikund barrage on the Haryana-Uttar Pradesh border. Officials said discharges had reduced steadily since Friday, and was standing at 47,302 cusecs at 7pm on Saturday — down from 55,667 cusecs at the same time on Friday and 136,844 cusecs on Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}On Monday, peak hourly releases had crossed 300,000 cusecs, the highest this season, triggered by heavy rainfall in the upper Himalayas and northwestern India. By Wednesday night, the barrage was 99.99% full and discharging between 184,000 and 158,000 cusecs an hour.
{{/usCountry}}On Monday, peak hourly releases had crossed 300,000 cusecs, the highest this season, triggered by heavy rainfall in the upper Himalayas and northwestern India. By Wednesday night, the barrage was 99.99% full and discharging between 184,000 and 158,000 cusecs an hour.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | With stagnant water, shut plant, Delhi faces twin crises
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | With stagnant water, shut plant, Delhi faces twin crises
{{/usCountry}}Despite the receding waters, large stretches of the floodplains and adjoining areas in Delhi remained under water on Saturday. Traffic movement was hit over the past two days on arterial roads near the river, and residents in affected neighbourhoods waded through waist-deep water to reach safer ground. Officials estimated that around 18,000 people have been affected in East, Northeast, Southeast, North and Shahdara districts. Relief measures are underway, with more than 45 camps set up to provide food, drinking water and sanitation facilities in coordination with the Delhi Jal Board, MCD and DUSIB.
Rescue teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, civil defence volunteers and the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed to ferry residents to safety, even as officials continue to monitor water levels at the Old Railway Bridge. Medical teams are on duty round the clock, supported by civil defence and Aapda Mitra volunteers. In East Delhi, the district administration’s Boat Club team rescued over 5,000 residents and hundreds of animals from submerged floodplains.
