Delhi: Nearly 7,500 relocated as Yamuna breaches evacuation level

Rising levels of water in the Yamuna is measured at three levels -- warning level- 204.50 m, danger level- 205.33 m, and evacuation level- 206 m

The Yamuna river is flowing far above the danger level and is rising, prompting authorities to evacuate more people from the river’s floodplains and shift them to makeshift camps located at higher grounds across six of Capita’s 11 districts.

People relocated from the Yamuna floodplains in Delhi. (HT Photo)

Nearly 7,500 people have been evacuated and shifted to camps so far by the Delhi government; in many places people have themselves erected tents on the higher grounds and shifted to them to avoid rising waters, officials said.

According to a morning flood bulletin on Tuesday, the current level of water in the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge had reached 206.34 metres

Rising levels of water in the Yamuna is measured at three levels -- warning level- 204.50 m, danger level- 205.33 m, and evacuation level- 206 m.

The water level is expected to rise further because of water discharge from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana.

As much as 3,44,035 cusecs of water was discharged from the barrage until Tuesday morning, an official said.

In non-monsoon seasons only around 350 cusecs water is discharged from the barrage per hour.

“So far, 7,350 people have been shifted to camps by the district administration from low lying areas. The evacuation operation continued throughout the evening and night because there was a sudden change in flood forecast. The Yamuna water was expected to touch evacuation level on Tuesday morning, but it touched the level on Monday night itself,” a Delhi government official said.

L-G VK Saxena is expected to visit water-logged sites along the Yamuna river near in Kashmiri Gate to take stock of the situation. He is also likely to visit the Pragati Maidan tunnel, Minto Bridge and Zakhira underpass, which reported severe waterlogging during the recent downpour.

“The people shifted to the camps are being provided medicines, food, and arrangements of drinking water have also been made,” another local official said.

Temporary camps have been set up at ITO, Kashmere Gate, and near Akshardham and the DND Flyway to house evacuated people.

“50 boats from the boat club and flood and irrigation department have been kept ready…” an irrigation and flood control department official said.

The Yamuna river spans around 22km in the Capital but its floodplains have been encroached by settlers over the years.

Migrant labourers have built hutments on the floodplains and homeless people have found shelter under the bridges. In places such as Yamuna Bazaar, slums as well as concrete houses have come up close to the floodplains. Over 35,000 people are estimated to be living there.