The water level of Yamuna reached its highest at 1pm on Wednesday after days of incessant rain as the level reached 207.55 metres. The past record was 207.49 set in 1978. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called an emergency meeting as Delhi Police imposed Section 144 in flood-prone areas in the national capital. The water level was rising since the morning as data shows. According to the Central Water Commission’s date, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 207-metre mark at 4am, the first time since 2013, and rose to 207.55 metres by 1pm. The level is likely to rise more and by midnight the water level in Yamuna is likely to reach 207.72 mts, officials said.
Delhi PWD minister Atishi said the government is fully prepared to tackle any situation. “We are regularly conducting evacuations near the Yamuna River. Several embankments have been installed to prevent the breach of water,” the minister said.
In 1978, there was a flood in Delhi when 7 lakh cusec of water was released through the Hathnikund barrage. The level of the Yamuna river at the Old Railway Bridge at the time was 204.79 metres. Kejriwal recently cited the data and said that after that there was no flooding in Delhi, though the Yamuna river breached the danger mark in recent years as well.
In 2013, 8 lakh cusec of water was released through the Hathnikund barrage, the level of the Yamuna river rose to 207.32 metre. In 2019, 8.28 lakh cusec water was released at the Hathnikund barrage and the level of the Yamuna reached 206.6 meters.
As the Yamuna breached the 1978 mark, rescue at Delhi’s low-lying areas started on a war footing.
