700+ evacuated in Noida, Ghaziabad amid flood concerns

While officials confirmed that the Okhla discharge crossed the 200,000 mark, irrigation department officials said the situation is under control

Noida/Ghaziabad Continuous rainfall and heavy discharge from the Yamuna and Hindon have kept flood concerns high in Gautam Budh Nagar. On Wednesday, the discharge at Okhla barrage touched 209,968 cusecs, nearly two-and-a-half times higher than Tuesday’s 86,330 cusecs.

The cricket grounds in Sector 167 were inundated due to the surge in the Yamuna river following heavy monsoon rains in Noida on Wednesday. (Sunil Ghosh / Hindustan Times)

The water level was recorded at 200.10 metres just below the danger mark of 200.60 metres. At Hindon barrage, the discharge rose to 60,487 cusecs, up from Tuesday’s 5,254 cusec, with the level steady at 200 metres. On Tuesday, the level was at 199.95 metres. The river’s danger mark is 205.08 metres, officials said.

While officials confirmed that the Okhla discharge crossed the 200,000 mark, irrigation department officials said the situation is under control. “As anticipated, the discharge at Okhla barrage crossed 200,000 cusecs. This flow will continue for next four to five hours before it starts to recede,” said BK Singh, executive engineer, irrigation department, Gautam Budh Nagar, in the afternoon.

Large tracts between Sector 128 and Sector 155 remain inundated, forcing villagers and their cattle to move to higher ground. Administration said it has already activated 19 flood posts across the district -- six in Sadar, five in Jewar and eight in Dadri. In addition, 15 relief shelters have been set up, including six in Sadar, one in Jewar and eight in Dadri, to accommodate displaced families.

In Noida’s Sector 150 and 155 areas, large stretches of farmland have gone under water, leaving standing crops damaged and several farmhouses inundated. Flood-prone villages identified in the district include Momnathal near Sector 150 on the Hindon–Yamuna floodplain, Jhupa, Kanigarh and Govindgarh in Jewar tehsil along the Yamuna, Asgarpur (Jagir) in Bisrakh block, and Dalelpur in Dankaur block. Officials said these areas are under close watch.

According to irrigation department records, the highest discharge in recent decades was 372,000 cusecs in 2023, which was managed without major damage. This year’s peak discharge (200,000 cusecs), is significantly lower, with officials maintaining strict vigil along embankments and drains.

“The district has activated 19 flood posts so far. In the past 24 hours, nearly 600 residents have been moved to relief shelters and about 1,400 cattle shifted to safer locations,” said district disaster management expert Omkar Chaturvedi.

Protective embankments and dams have been placed at Atta, Hindon–Yamuna Doab and Ilahabans (Sadar); Kulesara and Amanabad (Dadri); and Atta and the Chaudhary Charan Singh Jewar–Tappal embankment (Jewar). Relief centres have also been mapped at Faleda Bangar (Jewar), Yakutpur and Kasna (Sadar), and Chotpur, Yusufpur Chaksaveri and Chhajarsi (Dadri).

Meanwhile, traffic movement was also severely affected on Wednesday. The Noida traffic police issued an alert regarding waterlogging in the underpass stretch from Expo Mart roundabout (Greater Noida) to P-3, slowing down vehicular movement, officials said.

“With the rising water level of the Yamuna, our foremost priority is to ensure the safety of residents and their livestock in affected areas. All families are being shifted to designated relief shelters, while animals are being moved to safe green belts with adequate fodder. At the shelters, arrangements for clean drinking water, food, medical aid, among other things are being ensured,” district magistrate (DM) Medha Roopam said.

“People including women and children, along with cattle, are being relocated to safer places,” the DM said.

The IMD reported 41 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours in the district with humidity levels reaching 96% by Wednesday morning. The forecast for the next few days predicts partly cloudy skies with occasional spells of rain and thundershowers, adding to the district’s flood preparedness challenges.

In Ghaziabad district, UP irrigation department officials said Yamuna River was flowing above the danger level of 209 metres near Loni’s Pychara village.

“The highest flow level on Wednesday was 211.70 metres as against 209 metres of danger level at the location…We are keeping a close watch on the developing situation,” Singh added.

The administration officials said that about 100 people have been evacuated from Badarpur village near the Yamuna in Loni.