Yamuna river in Delhi breaches danger mark, people shifted to shelter homes

All the departments concerned have been alerted. The irrigation and flood control department has deployed 13 boats in different areas and put 21 others on standby, the official from the irrigation and flood control department said.

New Delhi: The Delhi administration on Friday (July 30) sounded a flood alert and expedited efforts to evacuate people living in the Yamuna flood plains, as the river in the capital breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres amid heavy rains in the upper catchment areas, officials said. The water level was recorded at 205.34 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 11 am. It was 205.22 metres at 8:30 am, 205.10 metres at 6 am and 205.17 at 7 am, an official said, adding it is likely to rise further. All the departments concerned have been alerted. The irrigation and flood control department has deployed 13 boats in different areas and put 21 others on standby, the official from the irrigation and flood control department said. With Haryana discharging more water into the river from the Hathnikund Barrage, the Delhi Police and the East Delhi district administration have started evacuating people living on the floodplains of the Yamuna in the capital. These people are being shifted to shelter homes of the city government in the Yamuna Pushta area, the official said. A flood alert is declared when the Yamuna crosses the "warning mark" of 204.50 metres. The situation is being monitored round-the-clock, a district administration official said. The river is in spate because of rains in Delhi and the upper catchment areas, a MeT department official said, adding it may swell further as more rains are predicted in northwest India.