Rain in upper reaches poses risk of another spell of flood in Delhi

New Delhi, July 22

A surge in discharge from the Hathnikund barrage into the Yamuna following heavy rain in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh is expected to increase the water level of the river in Delhi and impact relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected low-lying areas of the capital, officials said on Saturday.

Rise & Fall

• The water level has been hovering around danger mark of 205.33m for past few days
• It dropped to 205.16m at 4 pm on Saturday

The river water level, which has been hovering around the danger mark of 205.33m for the past few days, dropped below the threshold again on Saturday morning.

The Central Water Commission’s (CWC) data showed the water level dropped to 205.16m at 4 pm on Saturday. It may drop further before the impact of rain in upper catchment areas becomes clear.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till July 25.

In Uttarakhand, Haripur (126.8 mm) and Haldwani (122 mm) reported very heavy rainfall, while Mussoorie (112mm), Chakrata (83 mm), Loharkhet (68 mm), Dunda (91 mm), Purola (90 mm), Mori (77 mm), Barkot (72 mm), Chinyalisaur (65 mm), Gairsain (85 mm), Berinag (95.6 mm), Didihat (79.8 mm) and Pithoragarh (76.3 mm) received heavy rainfall.

In Himachal Pradesh, Renuka/Dadhau (195 mm), Pachhad (103.3 mm) Nahan (91.4 mm), Chaupal (90 mm) Sundarnagar (87.7 mm), Mandi Solan (86 mm), Arki (70 mm) and Rohra (70 mm) recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall in 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Saturday.

According to the CWC data, the flow rate at the Yamunanagar-located Hathnikund barrage crossed the 1 lakh-mark at 9 am and oscillated between 2 lakh and 2.5 lakh cusecs between 10 am and 4 pm.

“Discharge from Hathnikund barrage remained above the 2 lakh cusecs mark for seven hours after overnight rain in upper catchment areas of the Yamuna, with peak discharge being 2,51,987 cusecs recorded at 2 pm. This significant volume of water is expected to reach Delhi within 36 hours, posing a risk of mid-scale floods in the capital, which is still recuperating from one of the worst flood spells it experienced in the second week of July.

“The second spell of floods will likely see the Yamuna river reclaiming most of its floodplain in Delhi,” said Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.