Yamuna below evacuation mark in Delhi, more rain likely today

The warning mark for the city is 204.5 m, while the danger mark is 205.33 m, and evacuation of people starts at 206 m.

For the first time since September 2, the water level of Yamuna river in Delhi dropped below the evacuation mark of 206 m on Saturday, The Indian Express reported. The Old Railway Bridge, which is the main flood forecasting station of the Capital, recording a level of 205.98 m at 8 pm on Saturday.

This comes amid rain lashing several parts of the city on Saturday afternoon, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. The IMD has forecast thunderstorms with rain in the city on Sunday as well.

According to the Central Water Commission, while the river’s water level stood at 206.36 m on Saturday noon, by 2 pm, it had dropped to 206.3 m and to 206.19 m at 4 pm, the report added.

The river, according to The Indian Express, had touched 207.48 m on September 4 morning, its third-highest level since 1963. The highest level ever recorded was 208.66 m in July 2023, when more than 25,000 people were displaced, followed by 207.49 m in September 1978.

The warning mark for Delhi is 204.5 m, while the danger mark is 205.33 m, and evacuation begins at 206 m.

Meanwhile, water discharge to Yamuna by Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage remained steady between 45,000 cusecs and 49,000 cusecs during the day, the report added. At Wazirabad Barrage, the discharge reduced from 1.09 lakh cusecs at noon to just under a lakh by evening, while Okhla Barrage discharge saw a drop from over 2 lakh cusecs to 1.92 lakh cusecs.

The Indian Express reported that even as the water receded, large parts of Yamuna floodplains remained submerged.

“The situation is better but located in the low-lying areas, our house is still half under the water. Moreover, there is no electricity and clean drinking water… we can see insects everywhere… and there is a risk of snakes coming out as well,” Ruby, a resident of Yamuna Bazaar, who has shifted with her husband and two daughters to a makeshift shelter on the roadside, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

In Mayur Vihar, Shailender, who has taken shelter in a relief camp, told The Indian Express that the water has reduced by nearly 10 to 12 feet since Friday. At Badarpur Khadar, a civil defence volunteer pointed to the difficulties in reaching the affected who are not in relief camps.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 34.1 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees below the season’s average on Saturday. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 25 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees below the season’s average.

The air quality was recorded in the ‘satisfactory’ category at 6 pm, with an Air Quality Index reading of 74, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.