The Yamuna river in Delhi swelled to 207.25 metres and was flowing precariously close to the all-time record level of 207.49 metres reached in 1978, government agencies said on Wednesday, reports PTI.
According to the Central Water Commission's flood-monitoring portal, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 207-metre mark at 4 am, the first time since 2013, and rose to 207.25 metres by 8 am on Wednesday.
The river had exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres on Monday night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations and a closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic.
The water level of 207.25 metres is the highest since 2013 when the river reached a level of 207.32 metres, the CWC data showed.
An official explained that the sharp rise in water level was due to continuous rainfall in the upper catchment areas and saturated soil from heavy precipitation in Delhi and nearby regions over the weekend.
People living in low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places at higher altitudes, the department said.
Delhi witnessed its highest rainfall (153 mm) in a single day in July since 1982 in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Sunday.
The city received an additional 107 mm of rain in the subsequent 24 hours, exacerbating the situation.
The heavy rain transformed roads into gushing streams, parks into watery labyrinths and marketplaces into submerged realms.
The low-lying areas near the Yamuna river in Delhi, inhabited by around 41,000 people, are considered prone to flooding.
Encroachments on the river floodplain have occurred over the years, despite the land belonging to the Delhi Development Authority, the revenue department and private individuals.
The Yamuna breached the danger mark twice in September last year, with the water level reaching 206.38 metres.
IMAGE: A woman carries her newborn through an alley flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Residents carry their belongings through a field flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Residents carry their belongings through a field flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Residents carry their belongings through a field flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Residents stand outside their flooded houses by the rising waters of the Yamuna after heavy rains in New Delhi, July 11, 2023. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: People take shelter on an under-construction flyover after being displaced by the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: A man carries his belongings through an alley flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Residents carry their belongings through a field flooded with the rising water level of the Yamuna as others take shelter on an under construction flyover. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: A woman stands at the entrance of her flooded home. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: A man takes a bath amidst the floods. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: A man lies in a boat outside his house flooded with rising water levels. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
IMAGE: Huts submerged in water due to a rise in the water levels of the Yamuna, near Mayur Vihar Phase-I, New Delhi. Photograph: Mohd Zakir/ANI Photo
IMAGE: Children enjoy the flooded water at Jamna Bazaar area as it gets flooded due to the overflowing Yamuna river. Photograph: ANI Photo
IMAGE: A policeman stops a man for walking on an old iron bridge as it is closed due to the overflowing Yamuna river. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo
IMAGE: The water level of the Yamuna on the edge of the danger mark at the old iron bridge in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
