Following the heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas and the national Capital, the water level in the Yamuna river rose close to the danger mark in the city. The officials said that on Thursday the water level of Yamuna reached 203.37 metres, close to the warning mark of 204.50 metres.
With the water level nearing the danger mark, the city administration had on Tuesday also sounded an alert in the low-lying areas close to the river floodplains and the situation is being monitored round the clock.
According to a senior official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, on Thursday around 10:30 AM, the water level was recorded at 203.37 metres at the Old Railway Bridge.
“The Yamuna has swollen because of rains in Delhi and the upper catchment areas. More water is being released from the Hathnikund barrage into the river in Haryana's Yamunanagar district,” said the official.
“The flow rate peaked to 1.60 lakh cusecs in the last 24 hours, the highest so far this year. The water discharged from the barrage normally takes two-three days to reach the capital. Water was being released into the Yamuna at the rate of 85,879 cusecs at 10 AM on Thursday,” said the official.
“Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge is increased after heavy rainfall in the catchment areas. One cusec is equivalent to 28.32 litres per second. The water level may rise further as there is a prediction of rains in the catchment areas, the official said.
In 2019, the flow rate had peaked at 8.28 lakh cusecs on August 18 and 19, and the water level in the Yamuna had touched 206.60 metres, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres. The Delhi government had to launch evacuation and relief operations after the overflowing river submerged many low-lying areas.
In 2013, the river had swelled to 207.32 metres. In 1978, the water level in the Yamuna rose to a record 207.49 metres.