Evacuation of people living in low lying areas of the Yamuna floodplains began Monday evening with the river crossing the danger mark due to the release of water from Hathnikund barrage in Haryana amid heavy rains in the northern belt of the country.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the waterlogging situation and rising level of the Yamuna, and asserted that there was no threat of flood as of now.
He said his government was prepared to deal with the situation, and 41,000 people have been identified to be shifted to relief camps if the need arises.
The Yamuna crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres in Delhi as torrential rains pummelled the upper catchment areas of the river for the third day on the trot. The river breached the danger mark earlier than expected. It was predicted that it would cross the danger mark only by Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) flood-monitoring portal, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge in Delhi had risen to 205.4 metres by 5 pm as Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar.
The evacuation of people from the Yamuna floodplains began in the districts through which the river courses in Delhi.
“The evacuation exercise is underway, with 8,100 people being evacuated from low lying areas. We have identified schools and community centres for keeping them,” an official from the east district said.
