Delhi locals flee inundated homes, clutching their pets

Cattle, dogs, cats, horses, even camels, were seen at the rescue camps where they were brought from the now-inundated banks

Updated on: Jul 14, 2023, 24:40:14 IST

By Snehil Sinha, Paras Singh

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When 40-year-old Afsana and her family of six were rescued by an NDRF team from Vishwakarma Colony in southeast Delhi, the only valuables they brought with them were two kittens, Tinku and Minku, that the family has been taking care of for two months. One is black and the other brown, and Afsana said that they would have died without care. “We could not have left them. Over the last two days with the house flooded from all sides,” she added.

People wade through a flooded street along with their domesticated animals near Mayur Vihar in New Delhi on Thursday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

As the rescue operations continued on Thursday, residents of the Yamuna floodplains rushed to save their pets. Cattle, dogs, cats, horses, even camels, were seen at the rescue camps where they were brought from the now-inundated banks.

Officials said that in many cases, the residents were forced to leave. “We get warnings every year but this year the level is high. Most people may be reluctant because they did not expect the level would increase so much,” said Dev, a civil defence volunteer. “We rescued a man with a calf who was waiting on the Mayur Vihar flyover. He said that he also had a cow, which he lost midway,” said Sandeep Dutta, SDM, Mayur Vihar.

Many also employed private divers to get their belongings and animals. Police said over 1,000 animals were rescued from Garhi Mandu village in north Delhi. One of them was 25-year-old Jitender who was rescued on after being stranded on a tree for nearly 22 hours. A flood report by the irrigation department said 34 livestock were rescued by NDRF on Thursday.

However, there was no officials count of the animals rescued in the past few days.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Snehil Sinha
Snehil Sinha is an Assistant Editor with the Delhi Metro bureau of Hindustan Times, where she reports on politics, governance, public policy, urban infrastructure and transport, subjects that shape the everyday lives of millions in the national capital. Over a journalism career spanning 14 years, she has built a reputation for meticulous, data-driven reporting that combines on-ground perspectives with policy analysis. She began her career with The Indian Express before joining Hindustan Times, where she has reported extensively on civic administration and urban governance in Gurugram, Noida and now Delhi. Her reporting is distinguished by its clarity, depth and balance. Whether covering large-scale infrastructure projects, environmental challenges, transport reforms or government policy, she tries to translate complex administrative decisions into accessible, engaging stories without losing nuance. Her work reflects a strong command of public records, official data and field reporting, often connecting policy announcements with their impact on citizens. Her stories go beyond headlines to explain how governance decisions influence the city's growth, mobility and quality of life, making her work an important contribution to informed public discourse.Read More
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paras Singh
Paras Singh is a New Delhi-based journalist with Hindustan Times, where he serves as Deputy Metro Editor. He reports on urban governance, the Delhi government, the Delhi BJP, water management, the environment, communities and city life. He joined Hindustan Times in 2021 after beginning his journalism career at The Times of India in 2016, where he covered civic bodies, the water and power sectors, and urban infrastructure. Over the last decade, some of his reporting has led to significant public impact, with investigations into environmental violations, corruption and illegal industrial activity contributing to multiple judicial interventions by the National Green Tribunal and the Delhi High Court. A graduate of St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, Paras studied journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Having extensively covered the capital's evolving civic and governance landscape, his recent work increasingly explores Delhi's history, built heritage, urban evolution and the relationship between people and place, alongside continuing to report on governance and public policy.Read More

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