Yamuna continues to cross danger mark, evacuation efforts being intensified
PremiumA forecast has also predicted that the water level of Yamuna river is likely to touch the 206 metre mark around 5 pm and stable thereafter.
The swollen Yamuna river continued to flow above the danger mark of 205.33 metre in the national capital on Saturday morning, said officials, adding that the efforts to evacuate people from vulnerable areas are being intensified, according to news agency PTI.
"At present, the water level reached 205.99 metres at 5 am. On Friday around 4 pm, the river had breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres due to heavy rainfall in upper catchment areas. The situation has prompted the authorities to evacuate people from low lying areas," the flood control room said.
A forecast has also predicted that the water level of Yamuna river is likely to touch the 206 metre mark around 5 pm and stable thereafter, as per PTI reports.
Anil Banka, East Delhi Magistrate said that around 2,300 people have been rescued from the low-lying areas and have been shifted to safer places till Friday night. He added that the rescue operations will be intensified today.
An official informed that a flood alert has already been issued in Delhi when the discharge rate from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana's Yamuna Nagar crosses the one-lakh cusecs mark. Following this, people living near the flood-prone areas are being evacuated.
All sector officers have been advised to keep a vigil in their respective areas by the flood control department and take necessary precautionary measures at vulnerable points to avoid the flood-situation. They have been instructed to deploy the required number of quick-reaction teams to warn people residing over there.
In addition to this, a total of 34 boats and mobile pumps have been sent in the low-lying areas. Banka said that people evacuated from the flood-prone areas are being shifted to temporary housing structures like tents and permanent buildings like schools.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread rainfall with heavy rain for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana on August 14 and 15.
Last year, the Yamuna river breached the danger mark on July 30 , which had risen to 205.59 metres, while in 2019, the flow rate had hit the 206.60 metre mark.
The national capital houses nine flood prone and low-lying areas— Old Iron Bridge, Kisan Basti towards ISBT, Kisan Basti towards Seelampur, Usmanpur Pusta, Garhi Mandu village, MCD toll at Sonia Vihar, Annapurna Mandir, Sabhapur bus terminal and Badarpur Khadar Village.
(With PTI inputs)
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