People being evacuated from low-lying areas as Yamuna crosses danger mark

NEW DELHI: The water level of the Yamuna river has crossed the danger mark and reached 205.20 metres at 5pm on Saturday, prompting authorities to evacuate people from low-lying areas, officials said.

The Yamuna water level at the Hathinikund barrage has crossed the danger mark of 90,000 cusec and till 5pm, 5,03,935 cusec of water was released, they said, adding that with incessant rains, it was expected to rise further.



People watch the rising levels of the River Yamuna from a section of a bridge. TOI Photo

The water level of the Yamuna river at the Old Delhi Railway Bridge rose to 205.20 metres by 5pm and is expected to rise even further, an official said.

"The water level of river Yamuna at Delhi Old Rly Bridge reached at 204.92 metres at 7am on July 28 (above the warning level) and having rising trend," a statement had said in the morning.


People watch the rising levels of the River Yamuna from a section of a bridge. TOI Photo


An alert was sounded on Friday by the Delhi government after the water level of the Yamuna river crossed the danger mark, an official said.

"All executive engineers/sector officers are directed to keep in close contact with the control room in relation to the discharge, water level at the Old Railway Bridge and the advisory or forecast from the Central Water Commission/MET, and requested to take appropriate measures/steps accordingly to avoid flood-like situation," an advisory from the authorities said.



"The CWC, Upper Yamuna Division, New Delhi has issued flood forecast for the Delhi Railway Bridge (North Delhi Dt NCT, Delhi). The water level of river Yamuna at Delhi Rly Bridge was 205 metres at 9am on July 28 (warning level 204.00 m)," the advisory said.


A man looks on at Yamuna River, in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI



A view of Yamuna river, in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI

A low-pressure area over western Uttar Pradesh and its neighbourhood persists.

This system will bring widespread rainfall with isolated 'heavy to very heavy rainfall' over Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and northwest Madhya Pradesh during the next two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.