The water level in the Yamuna in Delhi started to recede on Saturday evening but still continued to flow above the ‘danger mark’. The water level is expected to drop through the night and go below the danger mark by 1 pm on Sunday, according to authorities.
At 7 p.m. on Saturday, the water level measured at the Old Railway Bridge was 205.92 metre, down from 205.99 meter at 7 a.m., according to official data.
The warning level of Yamuna in Delhi is 204.5 metre and the danger mark is 205.33 metre — both measured at the Old Railway Bridge.
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Barrage flow comes down
“The water level started dropping by 5 p.m. and is expected to fall to 204.75 by 1 p.m. tomorrow [Sunday]. The flow from Hathnikund barrage has also come down to 13,572 cusecs by 6 p.m. today [Saturday],” a Delhi government official said.
Hathnikund barrage is the point along the Yamuna in Haryana, upstream of Delhi, and water released from the barrage affects the flow of the river in the Capital.
The government had started evacuating people who were staying close to the river on Friday, when the water level was rising. But with the current prediction, the government may stop the evacuation process, said sources.
About 37,000 people living on the Yamuna floodplains and low-lying areas in the city are considered vulnerable to flooding and the government has prepared a flood control plan keeping their safety in mind, an official said.
Every year, the Delhi government sets up temporary tents near these affected areas and people are moved to them if needed.
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