After breaching the danger mark on Thursday, water level in the Yamuna has risen to a record high—at 208.53 metres on Thursday morning, breaking a 45-year-old record. As the Yamuna swelled amid heavy rainfall, the water spilled over, inundating streets, houses and public infrastructure. Several key areas, including the Secretariat housing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office, were flooded on Thursday as the national capital braced for an unprecedented situation. Videos of the floodwater gushing through the roads around the Red Fort have been trending on social media.
Schools and colleges in Delhi will remain shut till Sunday, and private sector employees have been advised to work from home. With water levels expected to rise further, Delhi has imposed prohibitory orders in affected areas and 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed for rescue efforts. Delhi has been witnessing excessive rainfall since Saturday, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted “high-intensity” rainfall over the next two-three days. Earlier this week, Delhi recorded 153mm of rainfall in 24 hours, highest in a single day in July since 1982. The IMD said the intense spell was triggered by a western disturbance prevailing over northern India. The capital city was not prepared to withstand such a huge volume of rain, particularly in a short span of time.