Delhi Rain: Yamuna river breached the danger mark earlier than expected
Heavy rain across north India has caused massive, widespread damage, claiming 37 lives and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Countless homes have been flooded and properties destroyed over the past three days.
In Delhi, the river Yamuna, which breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres late last evening, shot up to 206.38 today after Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage.
The authorities have started evacuating people from the low-lying areas that are considered vulnerable to flooding. They will be shifted to relief camps and community centres in various parts of the city.
Officials said the river breached the danger mark earlier than expected. "With Haryana releasing more water today, the Yamuna will swell further in the next 24 hours," they said.
The river had swollen to an all-time record water level of 207.49 metres in 1978 - which is the "high-flood" level for the Yamuna.
The heavy rain led to widespread flooding across the city, inundating parks, underpasses, markets, and even hospital premises. Residents were seen wading through knee-deep water, with images and videos of their ordeal spreading across social media platforms. This has led to growing concerns about the city's drainage infrastructure.
The Delhi government has set up 16 control rooms to monitor the flood-prone areas, while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a slew of measures to tackle the problem of waterlogging.
Mr Kejriwal, addressing a press conference, said it was for the first time in 40 years that Delhi had such severe rainfall. "The last time it rained as much as this was back in 1982 when there was 169 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period. So, this is unprecedented rainfall and unfortunately the drainage system in the city is not designed to withstand such extreme rainfall," he said.
The weather office has predicted more heavy downpour for Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
As heavy rain choked almost all of north India, the Army and National Disaster Response Force have stepped in to intensify the relief and rescue operations in the affected states.
Several rivers in the region are in spate. In cities and towns, many roads and buildings remain submerged in knee-deep water.
In Himachal Pradesh - which is worst-hit by the rain furry - landslides and flash floods damaged houses and properties worth crores.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, assuring him all help and support.
In Uttarakhand, several roads and highways have been blocked due to incessant rains and landslides, amid reports of water level in rivers crossing the danger mark.
Heavy rain in several parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana led to massive waterlogging and flooding in low-lying areas, prompting authorities to swing into action in the worst-hit places.
In Rajasthan, intense monsoon rain brought normal life to a standstill, flooding out roads, rail tracks, and even hospitals. More showers are expected in the state today.
The weather department said that the confluence of western disturbance and monsoonal winds led to the intense spell.