Delhi is a metre away from the flood as Yamuna fills after the Haryana Dam discharge. Over the last three days, heavy rain has brought north India to its knees, causing widespread damage and taking the lives of more than 37 people.
The Yamuna, which had breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres late last evening, jumped to 206.32 metres this morning as Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage.
The river surpassed the danger mark earlier than expected, according to officials. “With Haryana releasing more water today, the Yamuna will swell even further in the next 24 hours,” they predicted.
The river swelled to an all-time record water level of 207.49 metres in 1978, which is the Yamuna’s “high-flood” level.
Authorities have begun evacuating residents from low-lying areas considered vulnerable to flooding. They will be relocated to relief camps and community centres throughout the city.
The Delhi government has established 16 control rooms to monitor flood-prone areas and Yamuna’s water level, while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a slew of measures to address the issue of waterlogging.
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Mr Kejriwal, addressing a press conference, said it was for the first time in 40 years that Delhi had such severe rainfall. “The last time it rained as much as this was back in 1982 when there was 169 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period. So, this is unprecedented rainfall and unfortunately, the drainage system in the city is not designed to withstand such extreme rainfall,” he said.
More heavy rain is expected in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, according to the weather service.
As heavy rains engulfed almost all of north India, the Army and the National Disaster Response Force stepped in to ramp up relief and rescue efforts in the affected states.
Several rivers in the area are overflowing. Many roads and buildings in cities and towns are still submerged in knee-deep water.
Landslides and flash floods destroyed houses and properties worth crores in Himachal Pradesh, the state hardest hit by the rainstorm.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, assuring him of his full assistance and support.
Several roads and highways in Uttarakhand have been closed due to heavy rains and landslides, with rivers reaching dangerous levels.
Heavy rains in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana caused massive waterlogging and flooding in low-lying areas, prompting authorities to mobilise in the worst-affected areas.
In Rajasthan, heavy monsoon rains halted normal life, flooding roads, rail tracks, and even hospitals. More rain is expected in the state today.
According to the weather service, the intense spell was caused by a convergence of western disturbances and monsoonal winds.
