Yamuna nears warning mark in city

The Yamuna river in Delhi reached the mark of 204.31 metres at 7 pm at the old railway bridge, nearing the warning level of 204.50 metres officials said on Monday. However, the water level is likely to come down in the next 24 to 48 hours, they said.

The bridge serves as a key observation point for tracking the river’s flow and potential flood risks.

The authorities are monitoring the situation, and relevant agencies have been instructed to implement precautionary measures to prepare for a potential flood.

“The reason for the increase in level is mostly due to the high amount of water released from the Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrage every hour,” an official from the central flood room said.

This rise is also likely attributed to rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Haryana and Uttarakhand, he added.

In Delhi, the warning mark is set at 204.5 metres, while the danger mark is at 205.33 metres, with evacuation procedures commencing at 206 meters.

Typically, water released from the barrage takes 48 to 50 hours to reach Delhi. Even lower discharges from upstream sources are contributing to the rising water levels, bringing them closer to the warning mark in the city.