NEW DELHI, Aug 11 – The Yamuna River in Delhi rose to 204.40 metres at the Old Railway Bridge on Saturday morning, coming dangerously close to the warning level of 204.50 metres, according to flood control officials.
Authorities say the surge is mainly due to heavy releases of water from the Hathnikund and Wazirabad barrages. At present, around 30,800 cusecs are being discharged from Hathnikund, while Wazirabad is releasing about 25,000 cusecs every hour. Rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Haryana and Uttarakhand has further contributed to the rise.
Officials from the central flood room confirmed that the situation is being closely monitored. All concerned agencies have been instructed to remain on alert and take precautionary steps to prevent a flood-like situation.
The Old Railway Bridge serves as a key point for tracking Yamuna’s flow and potential flood threats. The warning mark for Delhi is 204.50 metres, the danger mark is 205.30 metres, and evacuation begins at 206 metres. Water from upstream takes about 48 to 50 hours to reach the city, meaning the river level could continue to climb in the coming days even with moderate discharges.
Residents living along the riverbanks have been advised to stay alert and be prepared for possible evacuation if the water level continues to rise.