Delhi Floods: 12 NDRF Teams Deployed, WFH Advisory Issued For Private Offices. Check Latest Updates Here

Delhi government issued a work from home advisory to private offices while commercial entities around Kashmere Gate have been ordered to remain shut till Sunday.

New Delhi: A dozen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Delhi while the government has issued a work from home advisory for private offices in view of the looming flood threat triggered by record-breaking water levels in the Yamuna River in the national capital.

According to an official NDRF spokesperson, three teams each have been deployed in central, east and north east Delhi while two are stationed in south east Delhi and one in Shahdara area of the national capital.

#WATCH | "12 NDRF teams are deployed in view of the flood situation in Delhi, administration and agencies are also working together…have evacuated around 2500 people so far from different areas…": NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahidi pic.twitter.com/bZR4GKVB5J

— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2023

The teams, who are equipped with inflatable boats, ropes and other rescue equipment— helping the administration in evacuating the flood affected residents and others and also for rescuing those who face any danger situation like drowning, he said.

VIDEO | NDRF personnel deployed in Delhi's Yamuna Bank as water from overflowing Yamuna inundates the area. pic.twitter.com/VZblAfcJ2Z

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 13, 2023

Meanwhile, the Delhi government issued a work from home advisory to private offices while commercial entities around Kashmere Gate have been ordered to remain shut till Sunday.

The Yamuna water level touched 208.53 metres at 10 am, breaking a 45-year-old record, officials said.

Drinking water shortage

Amid the flooding, the city is staring at drinking water shortage as the Delhi government decided to cut down supply by 25 per cent following the closure of three water treatment plants — Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla — due to the rising level of the Yamuna.

“There is going to be an acute shortage of water since three treatment plants are closed. There could be a shortage of 25 per cent water so ration will have to be done,” CM Arvind Kejriwal said.

Yamuna swells, city facing flood threat

The river swelled to a staggering 208.62 metres at 1 pm on Thursday, smashing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago by a significant margin.

Several key areas in Delhi, including the secretariat which houses the offices of the chief minister as well as his cabinet colleagues, were flooded on Thursday as authorities scrambled to lead rescue and relief efforts.

Waterlogging at the Kashmere Gate bus terminal forced the Delhi Transport Department to terminate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and elsewhere at the Singhu border.

Crematoriums shut

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people not to go to Nigamobodh Ghat to carry out last rites. The crematorium in Geeta Colony too was closed due to the rise in Yamuna water levels.

The Delhi civic body has advised people to take the body of their near and dear ones to other cremation grounds at Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri or preferably in their neighbourhood.

Red Fort inundated

The Yamuna waters also reached the walls of the iconic Red Fort and people were seen navigating through waist-deep and in some places neck-high water. Severe waterlogging was also reported in Rajghat and Purana Qila areas.

#WATCH | Flood water reaches the Red Fort in Delhi. Drone visuals show the extent of the situation there. pic.twitter.com/q2g4M7yDMP

— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2023

As the main gate of the Delhi government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre got inundated, authorities were forced to transfer 40 patients to the LNJP Hospital, officials said.

Water also entered the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board’s two shelter homes at Gandhi Park in Old Delhi and Geeta Ghat at Yamuna Bank — the worst-affected parts of the national capital — leading to the evacuation of its occupants.

In East Delhi, which is near the Yamuna river, areas such as Boat Club, Pandav Nagar, parts of Gandhi Nagar and Bhajanpura were inundated. Despite that, the locals in some areas were reluctant to move out of their homes, officials said.

Schools, Govt offices closed till Sunday

Amid the looming flood threat, Delhi Disaster Management Authority directed that all non-essential government offices, schools and colleges in the city be closed till Sunday.

Private establishments across the city have been advised to work from home.

The decision was made at the DDMA meeting held at the LG Secretariat here. The meeting, chaired by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

“All schools, colleges and universities are being closed till Sunday,” Kejriwal told reporters after the meeting.

“All government offices associated with non-essential services will be closed till Sunday. Private offices will be issued an advisory to follow work from home practice,” he said.

Officials said commercial establishments around Kashmere Gate will be asked to close till Sunday. Buses coming to ISBT will stop at Singhu Border, and DTC buses will ferry people from there, they said.

(With PTI inputs)