Rain lashes Delhi, Noida, Gurugram. Is Yamuna river water rising or receding? Latest updates

The Yamuna water level at Old Railway Bridge has been hovering around the danger mark after reaching an all-time high of 208.66 metres on July 13.

Thunderstorms and rain lashed parts of Delhi, Noida and Gurugram on Saturday, with the Yamuna river in Delhi still flowing above the danger mark of 205.33 metres – though it started receding slowly, according to the Central Water Commission.

A Central Water Commission worker is checking the water level of the Yamuna river in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/HT file)

The water level at the Old Railway Bridge has been hovering around the danger mark after reaching an all-time high of 208.66 metres on July 13. It breached the threshold again on Wednesday following heavy rain in parts of the national capital, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

According to the Central Water Commission, the level at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 205.36 metres at 6am and is expected to reach 205.3 metres by 2pm.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast isolated heavy to very heavy rain in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi till July 29.

The ongoing relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the national capital has been affected due to the intermittent rain keeping the Yamuna's water level close to the danger mark.

Delhi has grappled with unprecedented waterlogging and flooding this month.

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 rain in the river's upper catchment areas, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana, led to the Yamuna swelling to record levels.

At 208.66 metres on July 13, the Yamuna surpassed its previous record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978. It breached embankments and penetrated deeper into the city than it has in more than four decades.

The consequences of the floods have been devastating with more than 27,000 people evacuated from their homes. The losses incurred in terms of property, businesses and earnings have run into crores of rupees.

Experts attributed the unprecedented flooding in Delhi to encroachment on the river's floodplain, extreme rainfall within a short span of time and silt accumulation that has raised the riverbed.

The Yamuna's catchment area covers parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Delhi-NCR wakes up to heavy rain on Saturday

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the national capital would receive light to moderate rainfall on Saturday.

The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC) said, “Light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of few places of Delhi, NCR (Noida, Dadri, Greater Noida, Faridabad) Rewari, Bawal, Nuh (Haryana) Hapur, Gulaoti, Siyana, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar (UP).”

It added that the thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of many places of Delhi (Burari, Badili, Model Town, Karawal Nagar, Azadpur, Delhi University, Civil Lines, Tughlakabad, Ayanagar, Deramandi), NCR (Loni Dehat), Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram, Chhapraula, Noida, Dadri, Gurugram and Faridabad.

The IMD has predicted a generally cloudy sky and moderate rain in the city on Saturday. The maximum and minimum temperatures for Saturday are expected to settle around 34 and 26 degree Celsius, respectively.