Incessant rain over the past three days have resulted in a sharp increase in the water level in the Yamuna.
The Delhi Government on Friday issued flood alerts and asked the authorities concerned to evacuate people from low-lying areas. The Yamuna is likely to touch the danger mark of 204.83 metres by Saturday afternoon.
According to officials, the decision to issue a flood alert was taken at a high-level review meeting. “Urban Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan chaired a meeting on Friday to assess the situation in the low-lying areas which are prone to flooding. He has asked for evacuation of people from low-lying areas including ISBT, Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur and Chilla,” said an official.
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The Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been asked to make necessary arrangements to evacuate people from the areas adjacent to the Yamuna and other low-lying areas. A control room has been designated to help people. “We have been told by the Central Water Commission that the water level in the river reached 202.40 metres on Friday afternoon and will reach 204.83 metres by Saturday afternoon,” the official said.
Owing to heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of the Yamuna’s catchment area, about 4.20 lakh cusec of water has been released between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday from Hathnikund.
The Yamuna started rising at an alarming level at Kalanor in UP, just downstream of Hathnikund and at Mavi near Panipat (UP).
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“We are prepared to deal with any exigency. About 40 boats and divers have already been deputed at various places including Kudisiya Ghat, Chilla, Batla House, Garhi Mandu, Hirnaki, Yamuna Bazar and Jaitpur. The fire department and the railway authorities have been alerted as well.