Rain News Highlights: Red Alert for Delhi As Yamuna Breaches Mark of 208-metre at 10 PM; Traffic Movement Disrupted on Key Routes

The Yamuna water level continues to rise and breached the  208-metre at 10 PM on Wednesday, much earlier than anticipated.

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has called a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday over the rising water level of the Yamuna, Raj Niwas officials said.

On Wednesday, the river swelled to 207.55 metres at 1 pm, surpassing the previous record set in 1978, and causing further inundation of areas near the floodplains.

During an inspection of the inundated banks of the Yamuna, Saxena told reporters that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed and everyone living in low-lying areas will be evacuated.

He also assured that the Delhi government has made all the arrangements in the relief camps, including food, toilets and other basic amenities.

“Camps have been set up in 6 districts….Delhi Govt has made concrete arrangements for Relief/Evacuation. Many relief camps have been made, all the DMs have also been told that if needed, nearby schools and dharamshalas should be acquired,” he said.

Kejriwal lauded the help that the officials were receiving from the NGOs, and gurudwaras who were providing langar. “This is the time to help each other,” he said.

As Yamuna’s water level is expected to breach the 208-meter mark by Thursday morning, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested people to evacuate from low-lying and vulnerable areas saying the “lives are most important.”

As alarms were sounded in Delhi, Kejriwal chaired an emergency meeting on Wednesday with ministers, the Mayor and officials from various departments present. Read Full Story Here

As Yamuna water recorded an all-time high water level, it is expected to rise further and breach the 208-meter mark on Thursday morning. Due to this a red alert has been sounded in Delhi.

This is like Venice,” a shopkeeper at north Delhi’s Monastery market said on Wednesday as the area was flooded, with locals scampering to salvage clothes, utensils and other objects.

The Monastery market is one of the many places that have been affected due to the Yamuna river swelling to a record high. The water level in the river rose to 207.71 metres in Delhi at 4 pm on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978, government agencies said.

As heavy rains lashed in Haryana this week, flood-like situation prevails in the worst affected Ambala.

A video, posted by news agency PTI, shows residence of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij submerged in water.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said that his government will give Rs 4 Lakh ex-gratia to the kin of people who have died in rain-related incidents. At least 10 people have been killed due to heavy rains in Haryana.

You can take the suggested routes and avoid low-lying areas as Yamuna’s water continues to rise in Delhi

🔴People travelling from North to South 

➡️Outer Ring Road – Wazirabad Bridge – Yamuna Marginal Bandh Marg – Pushta Road – Vikas Marg

➡️Outer Ring Road – Arihant Marg – Mahatma Gandhi Marg – Vikas Marg

🔴People travelling from East to West

➡️Punjabi Bagh Chowk – Mahatma Gandhi Marg – Arihant Marg – Outer Ring Road – Wazirabad Bridge

➡️Punjabi Bagh Chowk – Mahatma Gandhi Marg – DKFO – AIIMS Chowk – Mahatma Gandhi Marg – Sarai Kale Khan – Mahatma Gandhi Marg – Vikas Marg.

The Delhi traffic has issued advisory as water level in Yamuna breached the danger mark.

The following roads have been regulated — Outer Ring Road between Wazirabad Bridge and Vikas Marg and the Mahatma Gandhi Road between Kalighat Mandir and Delhi Secretariat.

The Delhi Police imposed prohibitory measures under CrPC section 144 in flood-prone areas of the city on Wednesday as the Yamuna river swelled to 207.55 metres, breaching its record of 207.49 metres set in 1978.

The CrPC’s section 144 prevents unlawful assembly of four or more persons and public movement in groups.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority issued an advisory asking people to move to safer places and cautioning them against passing through low-lying areas.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal writes to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting a limited quantity of water release from the Hathni Kund Barrage, amid Yamuna breaching the danger mark due to heavy rains.

In the letter, Kejriwal said, “limited quantity of water should be released from Hathnikund, so that the water level of Yamuna does not increase further. G20 summit is to be held in Delhi so if flood happens in Delhi, it won’t send a good message to the world.”

Four members of a family went missing after their vehicle plunged into the Sutlej river on the Shimla-Kinnaur road, officials said on Wednesday. The missing persons were identified as Rajiv (33), his mother Sundla Devi (55), cousin brother Maher Singh (37) and his wife Sheetla (29), all residents of village Lahdu in Nankheri tehsil of Shimla.

Rajiv along with his cousin brother and his wife was taking his mother to Khaneri hospital in Rampur when the accident took place on Tuesday night, police said. The spot from where the vehicle fell down into the river was damaged due to heavy rains.

BJP leader Kaul Singh Negi said there was no safety board on the stretch and the driver could not see the damaged road at night. He said danger signs should be put up in all damaged portions for commuters’ safety. Search and rescue operations are underway to trace the four.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Centre to intervene to ensure that levels of the Yamuna, flowing at an all-time high of 207.55 metres, don’t rise further. The Yamuna has breached its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978, government agencies said on Wednesday.

Sharing an update on Yamunal water levels, Kejriwal said on Twitter, “Central Water Commission predicts 207.72 meter water level in Yamuna tonite. Not good news for Delhi. “There have been no rains in Delhi last 2 days, however, levels of Yamuna are rising due to abnormally high volumes of water being released by Haryana at Hathnikund barrage. Urge Centre to intervene and ensure that levels in Yamuna don’t rise further. Highest Flood Level 207.49m (in 1978). Current Level 207.55m.” .

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal asks for central government intervention to ensure that water levels in Yamuna don’t rise due to water being released from the Hathnikund barrage.

The headquarters of the Delhi Transport Corporation here has been flooded as its employees waded their way through the waterlogged entrance to get into the office on Wednesday.

Videos from the headquarters located at Indraprastha showed people folding their pants and holding shoes in their hands to enter the DTC headquarters.

“Earlier, this situation would arise only when it rained for many days together. But this time, knee-deep water has entered inside the headquarters. Adding to our woes, it also contains sewage water,” an employee of the DTC told PTI Video. According to officials, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) headquarter building has been in need of repair for a long time. Constructed in 1958, the redevelopment project of the headquarters and the bus depot has been a long standing proposal that has not achieved fruition till now, they said.

Yamuna river in Delhi has touched 207.55 metres, breaching its all time record of 207.49 metres, which it clocked in 1978, said government agencies on Wednesday.

As per the flood-monitoring portal of the Central Water Commission (CWC), at 4 am on Wednesday, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge exceeded the 207-metre mark, marking the first instance since 2013. Subsequently, by 8 am, it further increased to 207.25 metres. READ MORE

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday called an emergency meeting as the Yamuna reached its highest level so far at 207.55 metres, posing a threat of floods in the city.

The meeting will be held at the Delhi Secretariat where senior officers of all departments concerned will be present, said a Delhi government official.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and shifted to safer places due to rising level of the Yamuna river in the national capital.