The Yamuna river has once again swelled dangerously, flooding several low-lying areas across Delhi, Mathura and Agra after days of heavy rainfall and barrage releases.
In Mathura, entire neighbourhoods are partly submerged, with residents wading through waist-deep water. Agra faces a bigger worry experts warn that if the water level rises further, the city could witness a repeat of the 2023 crisis, when floodwaters came alarmingly close to the outer walls of the Taj Mahal.
Satellite images reveal alarming expansion
Fresh satellite images have highlighted the scale of the swelling river. The Yamuna’s stretch behind the Taj Mahal has expanded drastically from 193 metres to 558 metres, raising red flags about the impact on the monument’s fragile surroundings.
The sharp rise in water levels is being closely monitored by local authorities, who are preparing for emergency evacuations if the river continues to surge.
For millions living along its banks, the Yamuna’s fury is not just a seasonal flood but a reminder of worsening climate extremes that increasingly threaten heritage, homes and livelihoods in northern India.