As Delhi gets inundated, it’s mayhem from Civil Lines to Yamuna Bazar
The Yamuna river flooded bungalows near Civil Lines area in Delhi, leading to evacuations and closure of the Ring Road. The Red Fort and a crematorium were also affected. Rescue teams have been called in to assist affected residents. Traffic movement has been halted on affected stretches, causing congestion on diversions.
The Yamuna river broke the banks near and flooded some bungalows near Civil Lines area abutting the Ring Road which was closed off between the key stretches of Wazirabad, ISBT Kashmere Gate and ITO.
Several families said they moved to higher floors, while many were evacuated.
“There is no way to go outside,” said 30-year-old Anushka, who’s neighbour’s bungalow on Ram Kishore Road was flooded.
Residents said the water began to reach the bungalows at dawn, and by morning, the entire lane was flooded. “The water filled so quickly in the early hours that people didn’t even have time to get their vehicles out. Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were called in and rescued several families, including children,” said a central district official, who asked not to be named.
A few kilometres away, the river had completely taken over the road and made contact with the Red Fort boundary. A police bus was seen submerged near Yamuna Bazaar, and the high-ground Hanuman Temple was flooded.
Not far from this north-central locality, the Nigam Bodh crematorium was completely flooded.
Yamuna Bazaar, one of the first areas in the central district to be flooded, has more than 100 pucca houses and some hutments. “While we evacuated the majority of the people from Yamuna Bazaar, dozens of people refused to leave over burglary fears. But since the water rose to dangerous levels today, they moved to upper floors or on rooftops from where they were rescued today,” said the official quoted above.
A Delhi police official who monitored rescue operation said at the Garhi Mandu village, settled in the Yamuna floodplain, teams rescued 1,200 people and nearly 1,000 cattle in 24 hours. “Most of the houses in the village are more than 10 feet under water. The people have been relocated to camps,” said the official.
A revenue department official said in north Delhi, the flooding affected Pradhan Enclave Pusta, Burari Pusta, Ramzanpur and Mohammadpur. “In light of the situation, officials from the irrigation and flood control department have been directed to take all necessary measures. Directives have been issued to officials from all departments for the prompt action required to mitigate the crisis,” said Delhi minister Gopal Rai, after visiting the affected areas.
Authorities halted traffic movement on the affected stretches, which led to congestion on diversions, including on key cross-Yamuna links.
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