Highlights

  • Yamuna level drops below danger mark in Delhi
  • Yamuna water level reduces further
  • Yamuna level expected to drop further by Wednesday morning

Latest news

Samsung Galaxy M17 5G Review: Best Budget Samsung Phone Under ₹15,000?

Samsung Galaxy M17 5G Review: Best Budget Samsung Phone Under ₹15,000?

OnePlus 15R first look: OnePlus changes the R-series playbook

OnePlus 15R first look: OnePlus changes the R-series playbook

India's retail inflation rises to 0.71% in November

India's retail inflation rises to 0.71% in November

Cabinet approves CoalSETU window for auction of coal to boost industrial use and export

Cabinet approves CoalSETU window for auction of coal to boost industrial use and export

Cabinet approves Minimum Support Price for Copra for 2026 season

Cabinet approves Minimum Support Price for Copra for 2026 season

Fire never left: Vinesh Phogat comes out of retirement, targets LA Olympics

Fire never left: Vinesh Phogat comes out of retirement, targets LA Olympics

Flexible office segment in India set to grow faster, over 25% annually by 2027: Report

Flexible office segment in India set to grow faster, over 25% annually by 2027: Report

Rahul Gandhi flags issue of air pollution, seeks discussion in Lok Sabha

Rahul Gandhi flags issue of air pollution, seeks discussion in Lok Sabha

Yamuna water level in Delhi drops below danger mark

The river reached 208.66 metres on Thursday, surpassing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978 by a significant margin.

Yamuna water level in Delhi drops below danger mark

The water level of the Yamuna in Delhi on Tuesday followed a downward trend and dropped below the danger mark of 205.33 metres by 8 pm, the Central Water Commission's data showed.

The river water level showed a slight increase on Monday due to rains in catchment areas upstream of the national capital.

According to the CWC's flood-monitoring portal, the water level is expected to drop to 205.15 metres by 7 am on Wednesday.

The Wazirabad water treatment plant, where operations were hit due to inundation of a pump house, has also started working at full capacity, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

A Delhi Jal Board (DJB) official said the water supply in the city is near normal.

"There is a shortage of only 10-12 million gallons of water per day (MGD) due to inundation of some tube wells in the river floodplains at Palla," he said.

The DJB extracts around 30 MGD from tubewells installed in the Palla floodplains.

The river has been receding gradually after peaking at 208.66 metres on Thursday. However, a minor fluctuation in the water level cannot be ruled out due to rain in the upper reaches. The inundation of a pump house at Wazirabad due to the swollen Yamuna had impeded operations at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants, leading to a 25 per cent drop in the water supply.

The Okhla WTP began operating on Friday, and Chandrawal on Sunday.

Kejriwal said in a tweet on Tuesday, "Wazirabad Water treatment plant has also started working at full capacity. Now all WTPs are working at full capacity. DJB worked very hard. Thank you DJB!" Parts of the city have been grappling with waterlogging and flooding issues for a week now.

Initially, a downpour caused intense waterlogging on July 8 and 9, with the city receiving 125 per cent of its monthly rainfall quota in just two days.

Subsequently, heavy rains in the upper catchment areas, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana, led to the Yamuna swelling to record levels.

The river reached 208.66 metres on Thursday, surpassing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978 by a significant margin.

The river breached embankments and penetrated deeper into the city than it has in over four decades.

Friday marked a turning point as the raging Yamuna and the resulting backflow of foul-smelling water from drains spilt into prominent locations such as the Supreme Court, Raj Ghat, and the bustling intersection at ITO.

Prior to the misery on Friday, the river water had already reached the rear ramparts of the Red Fort and inundated one of the city's major bus terminals at Kashmere Gate.

The Ring Road, constructed partially over floodplains, remained closed for three consecutive days near Kashmere Gate last week.

With the situation deteriorating every passing hour last week, Kejriwal had urged the Centre to intervene and the Delhi Police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in flood-prone areas to prevent public movement there.

The Army was called in for the first time since the 2010 floods to repair a broken flow regulator at drain no. 12, the reason behind the flooding in central parts of the capital on Friday.

The consequences of the floods have been devastating with over 26,000 people evacuated from their homes. The losses incurred in terms of property, businesses, and earnings have amounted to crores.

Experts attribute the unprecedented flooding in Delhi to encroachment on floodplains, extreme rainfall occurring within shorter durations, and silt accumulation that raised the riverbed.

The low-lying areas near the river in the northeast, east, central, and southeast districts, inhabited by around 41,000 people, are considered prone to flooding.

A study on "Urban Flooding and its Management" by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department identifies east Delhi under the floodplain region and highly vulnerable to floods.

Despite this, encroachment and development have occurred at a rapid pace in the ecologically sensitive region over the years.

Letters exchanged between the Delhi Forest Department and the primary land-owning agency in the city, Delhi Development Authority, show that 2,480 hectares of land in the Yamuna floodplains have been encroached upon or developed since 2009.

ADVERTISEMENT

Up Next

Yamuna water level in Delhi drops below danger mark

Yamuna water level in Delhi drops below danger mark

Rahul Gandhi flags issue of air pollution, seeks discussion in Lok Sabha

Rahul Gandhi flags issue of air pollution, seeks discussion in Lok Sabha

At least nine dead, 22 injured as bus falls off road in Andhra Pradesh

At least nine dead, 22 injured as bus falls off road in Andhra Pradesh

IndiGo crisis: DGCA suspends four flight operations inspectors

IndiGo crisis: DGCA suspends four flight operations inspectors

AAP announces Kisan Mahapanchayat in Kutch to demand farmers’ rights

AAP announces Kisan Mahapanchayat in Kutch to demand farmers’ rights

Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers’ deportation process from Thailand begins

Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers’ deportation process from Thailand begins

ADVERTISEMENT

editorji-whatsApp

More videos

Former Union minister Shivraj Patil passes away at 90

Former Union minister Shivraj Patil passes away at 90

IndiGo announces additional Rs 10,000 vouchers for passengers severely affected

IndiGo announces additional Rs 10,000 vouchers for passengers severely affected

Anurag Thakur accuses TMC MP of using e-cigarette in Lok Sabha

Anurag Thakur accuses TMC MP of using e-cigarette in Lok Sabha

Rahul Gandhi says Amit Shah remained evasive on ‘vote chori’ in Parliament

Rahul Gandhi says Amit Shah remained evasive on ‘vote chori’ in Parliament

BJP uprooted Naxalism, Cong has double standards over it: MP CM Mohan Yadav

BJP uprooted Naxalism, Cong has double standards over it: MP CM Mohan Yadav

UP govt identifies key suspects in codeine syrup racket; over 120 FIRs registered

UP govt identifies key suspects in codeine syrup racket; over 120 FIRs registered

Goa nightclub fire: Owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra detained in Thailand

Goa nightclub fire: Owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra detained in Thailand

IndiGo cancels 60 flights from Bengaluru; CEO Piter Elbers to appear before DGCA

IndiGo cancels 60 flights from Bengaluru; CEO Piter Elbers to appear before DGCA

AAP’s Tejas Gajipara demands swift justice for assaulted 6-year-old girl in Gujarat

AAP’s Tejas Gajipara demands swift justice for assaulted 6-year-old girl in Gujarat

AAP flags fresh MGNREGA corruption claims in Gujarat involving 22 lakh fake workers

AAP flags fresh MGNREGA corruption claims in Gujarat involving 22 lakh fake workers

Editorji Technologies Pvt. Ltd. © 2022 All Rights Reserved.