Officials in India’s New Delhi are on high alert as water levels in the Yamuna river see a rise, currently at a 45-year high, and are expected to hit an all-time high later in the day. ndtv It was reported on Wednesday, as several river bank areas were inundated.
After torrential rains in the upper catchment areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and other states during the last few days, the water level crossed the 207.49 meter mark today. Hindustan Times,
The river last reached 207.49 meters on September 6, 1978.
Local media said that due to the rise in the water level, houses and markets were flooded, causing difficulties for the residents. Delhi Traffic Police has asked commuters to avoid the affected areas.
The authorities have also deployed boats along the river to spread awareness and carry out rescue operations.
A shopkeeper said, “The last time we saw this much water was in 2013. Our shops were destroyed in the flood, stock was destroyed. We suffered huge losses.” ndtv,
New Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that there is a flood-like situation in the national capital, but the government is prepared to deal with any situation.
A day earlier, the police had closed the Iron Bridge Pusta Road in Gandhi Nagar for traffic till further notice in view of the dangerously high water level in the Yamuna river.
Delhi government set up 16 control rooms to monitor Yamuna level and flood prone areas. About 41,000 people live in low-lying areas near the river, which are vulnerable to floods. Hindustan Times,
