Delhi government on Sunday issued a advisory warning that the water level of the Yamuna River may rise above the danger mark in the next two days in Delhi. The water level in the river rose after heavy downpour in Delhi-NCR today which, apart from this concern, brought rain related miseries in the national capital.
According to the flood advisoryissued by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department , the river is expected to cross the 206-metre danger level by 2 am on August 19. Officials are closely monitoring the situation.Earlier today, 1.76 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Hathnikund Barrage around 4 pm. The release is likely to contribute to the rising water level downstream in Delhi.
Even though the day began with a hot and sunny weather, Delhi witnessed a sudden spell of heavy rain on Saturday afternoon, lasting for nearly two hours. The downpour brought much-needed respite from the sweltering heat but also left several areas waterlogged, traffic mess besides other woes, adding to the discomfort of residents.
However, the pressing concern for the authorities remains the rising water level of the Yamuna. The river touched 205.26 m on Saturday, just a few centimetres below the official danger mark of 205.33 m. Officials reported a discharge of 50,273 cusecs of water from Okhla and 45,620 cusecs from Wazirabad, along with continuous releases from the Hathnikund barrage. Authorities warned that if the water level crosses 206 meters, evacuation from low-lying areas will be initiated.
According to officials, the situation is being monitored, and all the agencies concerned have been asked to take precautionary measures to handle flood-like situations, as the level will continue to rise as per the forecast.“The reason for the increase in the Yamuna level is mostly due to the high volumes of water being released from the Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrages every hour,” an official from the central flood room said.
The weather office has also sounded alerts for neighbouring states. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana have been warned of heavy rainfall, while Uttarakhand faces heightened risks of landslides due to relentless downpours in the hills. Water released from the barrage typically takes 48 to 50 hours to reach Delhi. Even lower discharges from upstream are raising the water level, nearing the warning mark in the capital.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), intermittent showers are expected to continue over the weekend. Daytime temperatures are likely to hover around 33°C, while Saturday morning saw the mercury dip to a pleasant 25°C. Despite the cooler minimum temperature, humidity levels remained high, with relative humidity at 90 per cent at 8.30 am, leaving the capital feeling muggy.
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