Yamuna stays above warning mark in Delhi, may cross danger mark today

The water level of the Yamuna river reached 204.61 metres at the Old Railway Bridge on Wednesday morning, remaining above the warning mark of 204.50 metres for the second consecutive day, officials said.

According to a flood warning issued by the Central Water Commission on Tuesday evening, the river is likely to cross the danger mark by Wednesday evening.

It advised officers to keep a vigil in their respective areas and take necessary action, such as warning people residing near the river embankments and making arrangements to shift them to safer places.

The Yamuna's water level stood at 204.61 metres at 9 am on Wednesday, the officials said.

The warning mark for the city is 204.5 metres, while the danger mark is 205.3 metres and evacuation starts at 206 metres. The Old Railway Bridge serves as a key observation point for tracking the river's flow and potential flood risks.

"The reason for the increase in level is mostly due to the high volumes of water released from the Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrages every hour. It is forecast that the water level may increase further," an official from the central flood room said.

According to the flood control department, around 37,230 cusecs of water is being released from Wazirabad every hour and around 52,448 cusecs is being released from the Hathnikund Barrage.

Water released from the barrages typically takes 48 to 50 hours to reach Delhi. Even lower discharges from upstream are raising the water level of the Yamuna.