- After briefly surpassing the danger line of 205.33 metres on Tuesday as a result of excessive rain in the river’s higher catchment areas during the previous two days, the Yamuna’s water level in Delhi started to decline on Wednesday morning.
- The historic railway bridge in the capital had a water level of 203.35 metres as of Monday evening at 7 o’clock. This result is little over one metre below the warning threshold of 204.5 metres and almost two metres below the critical level of 205.33 metres. Experts acknowledge that the Yamuna’s water levels may be creeping closer to the dangerous point when the higher terrains of the Himalayas see another round of intense rainfall.
- At 9 o’clock at night, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana was about 27,000 cusecs, which is considered modest during the monsoon season. Low-level flooding may happen in a few spots along the river, according to a Delhi government official in the irrigation and flood control department, but a serious crisis is unlikely.
- A severe downpour in the nation’s capital and the upper catchment areas of the Yamuna river earlier in July caused catastrophic flooding in Delhi. On July 13, the Yamuna reached a record height of 208.66 metres, breaking its previous record and entering the city more deeply than it had in more than 40 years.
- As a result, during the floods, over 27,000 people had to be evacuated, and the losses suffered in terms of property, enterprises, and profits totaled crores of rupees. Beginning on July 10, the river flowed continuously above the 205.33-meter danger mark for eight days.
- The catchment area for the Yamuna river system includes portions of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. Around 41,000 people live in Delhi’s low-lying riverside neighbourhoods, which are thought to be susceptible to flooding. Despite the land being owned by the Delhi Development Authority, the revenue department, and private persons, encroachments on the river’s floodplain have happened over time.
- Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are still suffering from the devastation caused by the rain. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a “red alert” for numerous areas in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and predicted “heavy to hefty rains” for the upcoming 24 hours amid nonstop rain.
- The “red alert” is expected to eventually become a “orange alert,” according to the weather service. Due to extended periods of rain, the hill states are experiencing a series of disasters. The number of people killed in Himachal Pradesh as a result of recent rains has increased to 55. Landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts are seriously endangering lives, causing property damage, and forcing a large number of people to flee their homes.
- Near the river in Delhi, there are about 41,000 residents who live in low-lying regions that are thought to be susceptible to floods. Even though the Delhi Development Authority, the revenue department, and private persons own the land, encroachments on the river’s floodplain have happened over time.
- Floods in the city mostly affect the northeast, east, central, and southeast sectors. The irrigation and flood control department’s research on “Urban Flooding and its Management” lists east Delhi as being in the floodplain region and being particularly vulnerable to flooding.
After crossing the danger mark, the Yamuna’s water level falls
