The Delhi government issued a flood warning on Sunday after Haryana discharged more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna river from the HathniKund Barrage in Yamunanagar.
"The first warning is being issued as 1,05,453 cusecs of water has been released into river Yamuna from Hathnikund barrage at 4 pm," the Irrigation and Flood Control department said in an order.
Normally, the flow rate at the barrage is 352 cusecs, but heavy rainfall in the catchment areas increases the discharge. The water from the barrage takes around two to three days to reach Delhi.
Authorities have been instructed to stay vigilant and take necessary action in vulnerable areas. Quick response teams have been deployed to raise awareness and warn the people living near the river embankments, according to the department.
The Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms, including a central control room, to monitor the flood-prone areas and the water level of the Yamuna. The Central Water Commission (CWC) warned that the water level in the Yamuna in Delhi is rising and is expected to surpass the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Tuesday. According to the CWC's flood-monitoring portal, the water level in the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 203.18 metres at 1 pm on Sunday. The warning level is 204.5 metres.
The water level is likely to rise to 205.5 metres between 11 am and 1 pm on Tuesday, the CWC said in an advisory.Northwest India has seen incessant rainfall over the last two days, with many areas in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan recording "heavy to very heavy" precipitation.
This has resulted in overflowing rivers, creeks and drains, which have damaged infrastructure and disrupted essential services in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh and Ambala reported a record rainfall of 322.2 mm and 224.1 mm respectively. The Yamuna river system's catchment covers parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.
Encroachments on the river floodplain have occurred over the years, despite the land belonging to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), revenue department and private individuals. Last year, the river breached the danger mark twice in September.