NEW DELHI: The water level in the Yamuna in Delhi crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Sunday following incessant rains for 48 hours in the upper catchment regions.
The present level of the river stood at 205.47 m. The previous peak of the Yamuna level was on July 13, when the Yamuna level touched the 208.33-metre mark, the highest surge. On July 12, the rise in the water level prompted the government to take emergency measures.
The Central Water Commission said on Tuesday the water level at Old Railway Bridge witnessed a notable rise from 203.48 metres at 3 pm on Monday to 204.94 metres by 6 pm on Tuesday. Haryana’s Yamunanagar district where the Hathnikund barrage is stationed registered a flow rate of 30,153 cusecs, a moderate figure within the confines of the monsoon season.
A senior official of Delhi’s irrigation and flood control department said while minor inundations might take place at select spots along the river but a grave situation is unlikely. Incessant rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh, causing large-scale destruction in the hill state and claimed the lives of at least 53 people since Sunday.
In mid-July, an extraordinary deluge struck Delhi as a result of intense precipitation in both the national capital and the higher catchment zones of the Yamuna. The river swelled to a record 208.66 metres on July 13, breaching its previous record, penetrating deeper into the city in more than four decades. More than 27,000 people were evacuated during the floods.
River in spate
Crosses danger mark at 205.33 mts at 10 pm on Tuesday, according to Central Water Commission
Expected to reach 205.50 mts by 5 am on Wednesday
In July, Delhi faced unprecedented flooding due to heavy rainfall in the Yamuna River’s upper catchment areas. The river swelled to a record 208.66 mts on July 13, breaching its previous record