Yamuna River in Delhi likely to cross warning mark: Is there a flood risk?

As of 4 pm, the water level at Delhi's Old Railway Bridge is at 204.01 metres, below the warning level of 204.5 metres, the data on the Central Water Commission's website showed

Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday reviewed the possible flood situation amid the rising level of the Yamuna River in the national capital. The Irrigation and Flood Control minister assured that his department is fully equipped to handle any flood-related issues.

“Currently, around 10,000 to 13,000 cusecs of water are being released from Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage…. Both the Revenue and Irrigation departments are on high alert and will begin issuing warnings starting today,” he said.

As of 4 pm, the water level at Delhi’s Old Railway Bridge was at 204.01 metres, below the warning level of 204.5 metres, the data on the Central Water Commission’s website showed. At 2 pm, the water level was recorded at 204.35 metres.

What is the danger mark of Yamuna River in Delhi?

Bharadwaj said the department has made arrangements for boats and rescue operations, if needed. During the last monsoon, nearly 40,000 people were impacted due to rising water levels in Yamuna in Delhi.

He said that as the level touches the danger mark (205.33 metres), rescue missions will be taken up to move people to safer places.

Obstructions in the flow of the river like the jammed gates of the ITO barrage were removed and the islands of silt incised with pilot cuts so that water flows it away, the minister said.

Yamuna mayhem in Delhi during last monsoon

Last year, on July 13, the Yamuna River in Delhi surged to its highest level in 70 years, reaching 208.66 metres, resulting in severe flooding in nearby areas for several days. The people faced many troubles while commuting to work, including severe traffic jams and an increased risk of infection due to waterlogging issues.

The unprecedented flooding of Yamuna was attributed to heavy rains in the river’s upper catchment regions of Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. In Delhi, the first warning level for the Yamuna is triggered when water discharge from Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage surpasses one lakh cusecs.