Yamuna water level inches up after rain upstream, nears warning zone

The river’s water level fell to 203.96 metres at 4pm on Tuesday, well below the warning level of 204.5 metres. However, it climbed again, rising to 204.34 metres as of 8pm on Tuesday after rain in Haryana and other regions north of Delhi.

New Delhi: The water level of the Yamuna inched up marginally again on Tuesday evening, with the metric heading back near the warning zone, on the back of rain upstream in northwestern India, after dropping for a couple of days.

Water level in the Yamuna was below the danger mark on Tuesday. (ANI)

The river’s water level fell to 203.96 metres at 4pm on Tuesday, well below the warning level of 204.5 metres, days after breaching “danger mark” and forcing the state to hurriedly evacuate people living on the Yamuna’s floodplains over the weekend.

However, it climbed again, rising to 204.34 metres as of 8pm on Tuesday after rain in Haryana and other regions north of Delhi.

The Yamuna’s water level, which is measured at the Old Railway Bridge in north Delhi, surpassed the danger level mark of 205.33 metres at 4pm on Friday. The water level continued to rise, peaking at 205.99 metres on Saturday before beginning a gradual drop. The water level started dropping since Saturday night and it went below the danger mark on Monday, officials said.

As a matter of precaution, people who had been evacuated from their houses located in the floodplains are yet to return. The district administration has set up temporary shelters, most located in east and north-east Delhi.

They said that the water discharge from the Hathinikund Barrage has dropped significantly over the last 48 hours, but 30 boats have been put on standby in the low-lying areas. Officials added that pumps have been deployed in these areas to remove water.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged people to avoid going to river banks, and appealing to them to cooperate with the government. He said all arrangements have been made for people living near the Yamuna. “We have made adequate arrangements for the people living near the Yamuna. Cooperate with the government.. We are monitoring the situation,” he said.

The city considers 204.5 metres water level at the old railway bridge to be the “warning level”, 205.33 metres the “danger level”, and 206 metres the “evacuation level”.

Yamuna recorded its highest level so far at the old bridge in 1978, when it reached 207.49 metres on September 6 that year.