Weather News highlights: IMD predicts very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand for the next 5 days

All Delhi schools and colleges will remain closed till Sunday and government offices, except those providing essential services, will resort to work from home, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.

Additional DCP Achin Garg visited the Yamuna Bank to review current situation & rescue people residing in low-lying areas near the river bank. "The water level has risen and rescue operation is underway. We have rescued seven people...We are trying to convince people and move them to safer grounds. People have never seen the water level rise to this level and they do not want to believe that it would rise further. Convincing them (people) has become a little difficult. The people do not want to leave their belongings, therefore we trying to evacuate them with their belongings and shift them to a safer place...," he said.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami conducts an aerial survey to take stock of the situation in the flood-affected areas in Laksar of Haridwar district.

Flood water entered the Sushruta Trauma Centre at Metcalf Road in Delhi on Wednesday. "40 patients admitted here, including three on ventilators, are being shifted to LNJP hospital," said MD Dr Suresh Kumar speaking to ANI.

The water level at 1 pm was recorded as 208.62 metres, it was found to be the same even at 2 pm.

Water level at 2pm - 208.62m

Water level at 1pm - 208.62m

Cooperate with each other in every possible way: Delhi CM Kejriwal tweets as flooding woes deepen

More than 300 mail and express trains and 406 passenger trains have been cancelled between July 7 and July 15 due to waterlogging on tracks following heavy rainfall over the past few days, officials said on Thursday.

Overall, about 600 mail/express trains and over 500 passenger trains have been affected by waterlogging, they said.

Northwest India saw incessant rainfall over three days from Saturday, with many areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan recording "heavy to extremely heavy" rains.

This resulted in overflowing rivers, creeks and drains that massively damaged infrastructure and disrupted essential services in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

(PTI)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, “We had a DDMA meeting. Several important decisions were taken. Schools, colleges & universities will remain closed till Sunday. All Govt offices, except those providing essential services, will have Work from Home. Advisory is being issued for private offices too to Work for Home. Water rationing will have to be done as 3 Water Treatment Plants are shut and people will face water crisis for a day or two. Heavy vehicles, except those providing essential services, that enter Delhi will not be allowed. There were issues of toilets and bathrooms at relief camps. So, the camps are being shifted to schools.”

Water level in Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district rises. RS Mittal, Superintendent Engineer gives details on the situation; says, "...The water level had started going down yesterday but it started rising again since last night...It doesn't seem that the water level will go down any lower right now..."

A Police van stuck in flood-water near Kashmere Gate area in Delhi.

(ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said water supply may be affected in parts of the city with the shutting down of treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla following rising levels of the Yamuna.

The Yamuna river swelled to a staggering 208.48 metres Thursday morning, inundating nearby streets and public and private infrastructure, and causing immense hardships to people living in close proximity to the river.

The water level at the Old Railway Bridge crossed the 208-metre mark Wednesday night and rose to 208.48 metres by 8 am on Thursday. It is expected to rise further, according to the Central Water Commission, which has termed it an "extreme situation".

(PTI)

India Meteorological Department on Thursday said, “Thunderstorm with light to moderate intensity rain would occur over and adjoining areas of isolated places of South-West Delhi, South Delhi (Chhattarpur, IGNOU, Ayanagar, Deramandi) and NCR (Gurugram, Manesar) , Sikandrabad, Bulandshahar, Khurja, Pahasu (U.P.) during next 2 hours.”

Delhi government restricts heavy vehicles entry due to flooding. Entry of heavy vehicles has been banned from Singhu Border, Badarpur Border, Loni Border and Chilla Border. Interstate buses from Haryana, Himachal, J&K, Uttrakhand to terminate at Singhu Border. 

Yamuna river has reached danger level in Noida, Irrigation department issues warning.

A rickshaw-puller pedals through chest-deep water in the flooded area near Red Fort of Delhi.

(ANI)

At least 200 slum dwellers working on the fields and in nurseries along the Yamuna floodplains in Noida's Raipur Khadar and Bakhtawarpur villages scampered for safety and set up shanties on the Pushta Road on Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, displaced survivors struggled for food and basic necessities even as local police tried to remove them from one side of the carriageway of the Pushta Road which was blocked by the evacuees.

According to Kesarwati, who works at a farm in Raipur Khadar village and was living there too, the Yamuna river swelled on Wednesday evening, reaching the farms and their homes located there.

"The water reached till four to five feet at the farms where we live. There was no warning given to us by any officials hence we were not prepared to leave from the spot. However, we had to hasten and pack up all our belongings last evening as water reached our homes. As we did not have a place to go, all of us reached the Pushta Road and set up our shanties here," she said.

(HT)

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami said on Thursday, “There is severe waterlogging in Haridwar. The city has come to a standstill. We are taking all necessary steps to help people.”

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrives at Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant. The Plant has currently been shut down due to the rise in water level of River Yamuna.

He says, “We are at the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant. For the first time in Delhi, Yamuna has touched this level. Three Water Treatment Plants have been shut down due to this as the water has entered pumps & machines...25% of the water supply in Delhi will go down due to this. The tubewells are closed too. There can be water scarcity for a day or two...I hope that the supply resumes by tomorrow evening. As per the CWC prediction, the peak (of river Yamuna's water level) will reach by 3-4 pm today and it will then start going down.”

(ANI)

Around 300 buses stuck at various locations in Himachal Pradesh after routes were affected due to rain and floods.

Massive traffic snarl seen in Sarai Kale Khan area and Shastri Park today, due to traffic diversion following waterlogging in different parts of the city. 

(ANI)

Low-lying areas around Purana Qila flooded as river Yamuna overflowed and flooded a few residential areas in the city.

Traffic disrupted on Rajghat road in Delhi as water from overflowing Yamuna triggers waterlogging.

(PTI)

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted on Thursday, “Entry and exit at Yamuna Bank Metro Station has been temporarily closed due to the rising water levels of the Yamuna River. However, interchange facility is still available and services on Blue Line are running normally.”

Earlier the DMRC had tweeted, “Due to the escalating water levels of the Yamuna River, the approach road leading to Yamuna Bank Metro Station is currently inaccessible. Kindly plan your journey accordingly and consider alternate routes. However, interchange facility is available.”

Heavy traffic jam reported in Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan, following closure of key routes owing to the rising water level of Yamuna river.

(PTI)