Delhi: Yamuna Nears Danger Level Again As Rains Lash Northern Hill States

Yamuna water level dropped below the threshold again on Saturday morning, however, heavy rains in northern hill states could lead to a surge in the level again.

New Delhi: Water level in the Yamuna River in Delhi has been hovering around the danger mark of 205.33 metres for the last few days even as the several areas in the national capital still remain inundated and roads waterlogged after floodwaters from the swollen river breached into the city on July 13.

According to officials, the water level in the Yamuna dropped below the threshold again on Saturday morning, however, heavy rains which continue to pummel parts of Uttarakhand, may lead to a surge in the level again and result to delays in rehabilitation efforts in Delhi’s flood-affected low-lying areas.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till July 25.

Water level surge could rehabilitation in flood-hit areas

As per data shared by the Central Water Commission’s (CWC), the water level dropped from 205.34 metres at 6 pm on Friday to 205.29 metres at 9 am on Saturday. It may drop further before the impact of rain in upper catchment areas becomes clear.

According to CWC data, the flow rate at the Yamunanagar-located Hathnikund Barrage was 1.47 lakh cusecs at 9 am, the highest since July 13.

“Rains in the upper catchment areas are subsiding and the discharge from the Hathnikund Barrage should not cross the 3 lakh cusec mark. CWC hydrographs do not show much rise in the rivers in the hills except Bata river,” Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, told news agency PTI.

Marginal fluctuations have been witnessed in the water level over the last four to five days amid rain in the upper catchment areas, primarily in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

In case of heavy rains upstream of Delhi, the increase in the water level could slow down the pace of rehabilitation of the affected families in the inundated low-lying areas of the capital and they may have to stay in relief camps for a longer period.

Impact on water supply

It could also impact the water supply in the city, which became normal only on Tuesday after being affected for four to five days due to the inundation of a pump house at Wazirabad.

The pump house supplies raw water to Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants, which together account for around 25 per cent of the city’s supply.

Delhi floods

Parts of Delhi have been grappling with waterlogging and flooding for over a week now. Initially, a downpour caused intense waterlogging on July 8 and 9, with the city receiving 125 per cent of its monthly rainfall quota in just two days.

Subsequently, heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of the Yamuna, including in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana, led to the river swelling to record levels.

At 208.66 metres on July 13, the Yamuna surpassed its previous record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978 by a significant margin. It breached embankments and penetrated deeper into the city than it has in over four decades.

The floods have devastated low-lying areas in Delhi, causing crores in losses in terms of property, businesses and earnings. The deluge has left thousands homeless with over 27,000 people evacuated from their homes.

Experts attribute the unprecedented flooding in Delhi to encroachment on the river floodplain, extreme rainfall within a short span of time and silt accumulation that has raised the riverbed.

(With PTI inputs)