Yamuna water level drops below danger mark, expected to go down further

Forecasts by the Central Water Commission (CWC) show the river’s water level will continue to show a downward trend today, touching 205.25 metres by 2pm

The water level of the Yamuna went below the danger level (DL) mark of 205.33 metres on Thursday morning. The river’s flow was recorded at a level of 205.30 metres at 8am.

The river had touched an all-time high of 208.66 metres last Thursday before the water level began receding gradually. (HT Photo | Vipin Kumar)

On Wednesday, the water level had touched 205.80 metres through the day, prompting authorities to request people to vacate from their homes near the river’s floodplains and take shelter inside the rescue camps.

While minor fluctuations are likely to continue in the coming days, officials say there is no cause for concern, with the river unlikely to touch the water levels it touched last Thursday.

The river had touched an all-time high of 208.66 metres last Thursday before the water level began receding gradually.

The river has a warning level of 204.50 metres, with evacuation plans being put in place by agencies once the Yamuna crosses this mark.

Evacuation generally begins after the river crosses the danger level of 205.33 metres.

Forecasts by the Central Water Commission (CWC) show the river’s water level will continue to show a downward trend today, touching 205.25 metres by 2pm.

On Wednesday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had said it had deployed teams in the affected areas to clear colonies and internal roads of sludge, which coated several streets across the city as the floodwaters receded.

Delhi ministers continued to monitor the cleaning work and relief camps that were set up on higher grounds.

PWD (Public Works Department) minister Atishi inspected cleaning work in the Rajghat and Shanti Van memorials on Wednesday and said that all agencies of central government, Delhi government, and MCD were working together to drain stagnant water from the area.

The waterlogging near the ITO flyover was also cleared on Wednesday.

According to a Delhi government report, the hourly water discharge from the Hathnikund barrage, which touched a peak of 360,000 cusecs on July 11, is currently below 50,000 cusecs every hour.

Coupled with this along with no further rainfall in the last 24 hours, the water level in the river is expected to come down further.