Orange alert in Delhi as Yamuna flows over danger mark at 206.04 mm

The Yamuna’s water level exceeded the danger mark of 205.33 metres, has been measured at 206.04 mm prompting the activation of an Orange warning, according to information issued by the national capital’s Flood Control Department.

According to the flood bulletin, the Yamuna’s water level at the Old Railway Bridge was 206.04 mm at 11 p.m. According to reports, people in the Mayur Vihar Extension suburb of the nation’s capital started migrating to highways when the Yamuna’s water level surged.

Officials said the evacuation of people living on the Yamuna floodplains begins at the ‘Orange alert’ mark, which is at 206 metres. It is anticipated that the water level would reach 206.65 metres at 3 am on Tuesday, officials informed further.

The water level in the Yamuna has been rising continuously as neighbouring Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage, amid heavy rainfall.
The Yamuna was deemed to be flowing over the danger mark of 205.76 metres at 8 pm on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was alert to the situation and fully geared to deal with it.

“As the water level goes over 206 metres, we will start shifting people living on the banks. The process of taking them safely to relief camps will be started. Earlier, we anticipated that the water level would cross 205 metres on July 11, but it did so today itself as more water was released from Haryana,” the minister told the reporters.

Earlier, on Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said there is no threat of flooding in the national capital due to rising water level of the Yamuna on account of record rainfall over two days. Urging the Opposition parties not to indulge in a blame game, the CM said it was not the time to point fingers at each other.

“A flood-like situation is unlikely in Delhi. Our government is prepared to deal with any situation,” CM Kejriwal said at a press conference here after chairing a meeting to review the government’s handling of the situation arising out of the heavy rainfall.

Kejriwal said, “This is not the time to point fingers at each other or single out anyone”, adding that the evacuation of people from low-lying areas around Yamuna will commence once the river breaches the 206-metre mark.