Delhi: Thousands forced to leave homes as Yamuna level breaches 45-yr record of 207.49m

New Delhi [India], July 12 : As the water level in the Yamuna River in Delhi breached the 45-year record of 207.49 metres and reached 208.05 metres on Wednesday, thousands of people were forced to leave their homes in low-lying areas.

According to the Delhi government as part of its evacuation plan, a total of 16,564 people living in low-lying areas have been evacuated to safer places and 14,534 are living in tents/shelters, across the city. 

The Central Water Commission (CWC) earlier in the day, forecasted the water level at Old Railway Bridge to be at 207.99 Meters on Thursday between 4 am to 6 am. However, it reached 208.05 at 10 pm on Wednesday. 

The road traffic at Old Railway Bridge has been closed since Wednesday morning.

Owing to the flood-like situation in Delhi, MCD’s Education Department has decided to close 10 schools in low-lying areas of Civil Lines Zone, 06 schools in Shahadra South Zine and 1 school in Shahadra North Zone for Thursday. "Online classes will be held for students of those schools," the government said. 

The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.55 metres on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978, government agencies said.

Informing about the development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that he has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reduce the flow of water entering from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in the national capital.

Kejriwal said that a letter has been sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard. 

Stating the reasons for the increase in the level of Yamuna, the Chief Minister said that the water level in Yamuna in Delhi has increased due to water being released from the Hathni Kund barrage located in Haryana and requested the Union Minister to release the water from Hathni Kund barrage at a limited rate.

"The water level in the Yamuna in Delhi is not increasing due to the rains in Delhi, but due to the water being released from the Hathini Kund barrage located in Haryana. I humbly request that if possible the water from Hathni Kund barrage should be released at a limited rate only so that the level of Yamuna in Delhi does not increase further," he said in his letter to Union Minister.

"The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi has reached 207.71 metres, the highest ever. Delhi has not received rainfall in the last 2-3 days," Kejriwal said while addressing a press conference. 

Expressing concern over the rising level of the Yamuna River, he said, "Water is entering Delhi from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Regarding this, I have also written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting him to reduce the flow of water entering Delhi, only then we can stop the Yamuna River from overflowing." 

He further appealed to people living in the low-lying areas near Yamuna floodplains to vacate their homes. 

"I request everyone to vacate their homes in the low-lying areas. There are several places affected by the rise in the level of water in Yamuna River," he said. 

Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal chaired an emergency meeting in Secretariat over the flood situation in Delhi. Ministers, Mayor and officials from various departments were present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, in the wake of swollen Yamuna River, 45 boats; 17 pertaining to Boat Club and 28 pertaining to Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department have been put on duty for ‘Munadi’/awareness, evacuation and rescue work, Delhi government said. 

A total of 12 NDRF teams have also been deployed and in rescue work at the most vulnerable points in terms of flood-affected areas, it added. 

All concerned District Magistrates (District North, North-East, Shahdara, Central, East, and South-East) and their district Sector Committees, I&FC Department, Delhi Disaster Management, Delhi Police and other stakeholders are on alert mode to deal with the flood situation in coordination with each other.

Besides, NGOs have also been engaged in providing relief to the evacuated persons.

All gates at Okhla Barrage have been kept open to release excess water so as to ensure that the water level in River Yamuna does not remain at a high level for long.

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