The Yamuna river in the national capital breached the 207-metre mark on Wednesday for the fifth time since 1963, officials said.
Homes in the nearby areas were submerged, shop goods were destroyed, and
traffic was disrupted in several areas in the city, impacting the daily lives of thousands of people.
Train movement at the Old Iron Bridge across the Yamuna was halted
on Wednesday, forcing the cancellation and diversion of several trains on Thursday.There were a total of 40 cancellations, 34 diversions, 11 short originations, and 14 short terminations.
The train movement on the bridge was halted at 6.30 am yesterday, after the bridge was shut for traffic movement starting 4 pm on Tuesday till further notice.
The Yamuna swelled to 207.39 metres at 8 pm on Wednesday and is expected to rise further, PTI reported, citing a flood update report.
In 2023, when Delhi witnessed severe flooding, the Yamuna’s water level rose to 208.66 metres. The other highest ever was in 1978, when the river touched the 207.49 metre mark. In 2010, the river’s level rose to 207.11 metres, and in 2013 to 207.32 metres.
Nigambodh Ghat, Delhi’s oldest cremation ground, had to halt operations after water from the flooded river entered the Ghat.
The revenue department said that 8,018 people have been safely shifted to tents, and 2,030 others have been shifted to 13 permanent shelters.
People carried their belongings on their heads as they waded through neck-deep water to move to safer locations. NDRF and fire department officials were roped in to carry out the rescue work.
All 13 regulator drains in Delhi were shut to prevent any backflow of water from the river as the water level in Yamuna is high and attaining a critical point, a government official told news agency PTI.
Several families in Madanpur Khadar, Jaitpur, and Badarpur were forced to relocate to makeshift shelters.
According to officials, North, North East, Shahdara, East, Central and South East districts of Delhi are prone to flooding.
Nearly 10,000 people living in low-lying areas were impacted due to the flooded river.
The Delhi government has organised relief camps at 38 locations, setting up 522 tents at 27 locations.
The city faced one of its worst floods in 2023, when several areas were inundated after heavy rains, in which over 25,000 people were evacuated.
The river had reached an all-time high of 208.66 metres, breaking the previous record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978.
