Yamuna level to surge again
The flood scare in Delhi rose on Monday after Haryana released 7.44 lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna, the highest volume in a single day in the past 60 years. Delhi government officials confirmed that the river is flowing nearly a metre above the danger mark in the capital.
With the release of 7.44 lakh cusecs of water, the level in the river rose to 205.62 metre and could rise to 206.95 metre on Wednesday as per forecast, said the officials. The water level had touched 206.78 metres last week. "Haryana has released nearly 1 crore cusecs of water this year, which is the highest in the last 60 years," said the Delhi government’s flood control department.
The officials alerted the concerned authorities to remain extremely vigilant besides deploying additional workforce to monitor the situation. According to the Central Water Commission forecast, the water level is expected to reach 205.65 metres in late hours on Monday.
The Yamuna has swollen to an all-time high, breaking its 32-year-old record flow of 7,09,000 cusecs (in a single day), in just two hours, flooding dozens of villages across four Haryana districts and now posing an unprecedented threat to Delhi.
Haryana irrigation officials reported a discharge of 7,44,507 cusecs at the Hathnikund Barrage from 3 to 5 am on Monday. The massive volumes of water rushing downstream have already flooded low-lying villages in Yamunanagar, Karnal and Panipat, and are now heading for Sonipat, Delhi, Palwal and Faridabad.
The state’s revenue secretary, Naresh Gulati, said that while the Delhi Jal Board has been apprised of the threat posed by the huge upsurge in discharge that began Sunday morning and is continuing, local district administrations have been advised to summon all available hands including additional squads of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF).
Flood waters have inundated at least 30 villages of the Radaur and Chacchrauli blocks of Yamunanagar district, including human habitations across 10 villages. All government and private hospitals have been put on alert while NDRF volunteers are deploying boats to distribute food packets, drinking water and medicines to affected populations, a Haryana government spokesman said.
Haryana irrigation officers are also keeping a close watch on the Old Tajewala Headworks, which was damaged because of the flooding on September 8 and 9, and again on Sunday when three more bays of the structure suffered irretrievable damage.
Flood-watchers in the state said they have their fingers crossed after Monday morning’s peak discharge of 7,44,507 cusecs at Hathnikund Barrage reduced and stabilised to 5,07,797 cusecs past noon. Officials said the flood levels were a direct consequence of incessant late monsoon rains in the Yamuna’s Himalayan catchment area.
Post new comment