Yamuna water level in Delhi nears danger mark after heavy rain, evacuations on alert
PTC Web Desk: The Yamuna river in Delhi surged more than a metre on Friday, touching its highest level of the season and crossing the “warning mark” for the third time this year. Officials have warned that the water is expected to breach the “danger level” of 205.3 metres by Saturday morning.
At 8 pm on Friday, the river had already reached 205.25 metre, just a few cm below the danger mark. The rapid rise comes after continuous heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas and increased discharges from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge was at 203.9m at 8 am on Friday, rose to 204.5m by noon—crossing the warning level—and touched 205.07m by 5 pm. This surpassed the season’s previous high of 205.15m recorded on August 8.
CWC data revealed that water releases from Hathnikund Barrage have remained above 40,000 cusecs since Thursday afternoon, peaking at 65,861 cusecs at 3 pm. These flows usually take nearly two days to reach Delhi, suggesting further increases in water levels. “Given the sustained discharges, the river is likely to rise above the danger mark,” said Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator at the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP).
In 2023, the Yamuna rose to a record 208.66m on July 11 after massive discharges of over 359,000 cusecs from Hathnikund, leading to widespread flooding. By contrast, last year’s highest level was 204.38m on September 26, which remained below the warning threshold.
Officials of the Flood and Irrigation Department have said evacuations from low-lying areas will begin if levels touch 206m. Meanwhile, public announcements are being made in vulnerable neighbourhoods, urging residents to move to safer places.
Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma, who reviewed preparations last week, assured that a repeat of last year’s flooding is unlikely. “All gates of the ITO barrage are open, and contingency measures are in place. Relief teams, engineers, and flood control staff are working round the clock to monitor barrages, pumping stations, and drainage systems,” he said.
- With inputs from agencies
