The water level in the Yamuna River is rising, putting Delhi and nearby states on flood alert. Because of strong, nonstop rain in the north, the water flow in the Yamuna River at the Hathnikund barrage has risen to 1.78 lakh cusecs, the highest level of this monsoon season. Because of the surge, officials are taking quick safety measures and have issued a “medium flood” alert for many districts in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and New Delhi.
The Yamuna River is now at a “medium flood” level. On Sunday, the water flow at the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar reached a season-high of 1.78 lakh cusecs. The surge, which is caused by heavy rain falling continuously in the river’s upper catchment areas, has caused all 18 floodgates at the barrage to open. This has also set off flood alerts for low-lying areas in several districts, including Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat, and Sonepat in Haryana, as well as parts of Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi.
Officials from the irrigation and water resources department said that a “medium flood” is when the water flow is between 1.5 lakh and 2.5 lakh cusecs. On Sunday morning, the water levels started to rise quickly. By 1 p.m., they had reached the “low flood” standard of one lakh cusecs, and by 3 p.m., they had reached the “high flood” mark of 1.78 lakh cusecs. Officials say that the water will take about 48 hours to reach the national capital. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has already sent out an alert.
Waterlogging happens when local rivers and streams are too full.
Heavy rain in regions next to Himachal Pradesh has also made local rivers and streams overflow, in addition to the Yamuna. The Som river at Yamunanagar, which is a tributary of the Yamuna, had a flow of over 24,000 cusecs, which is more over the danger mark of 10,000 cusecs. The surge made the river flood over the bridge at Dhanaura hamlet, which scared people who lived there and people who were passing through. Water levels in the Som and Pathrala rivers have started to go down again, but water levels in other bodies of water have gone up, causing a lot of flooding in adjacent communities.
Local officials, such as Vyaspur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jaspal Singh Gill and DSP Vyaspur Harvindra Singh, have gone to regions that are at risk to check on the situation and make sure that flood management plans are in place. To protect people and their property, the irrigation department has built embankments in various villages along the banks of the Som and Nakti rivers. The district administration and police are on high alert and are always watching what is happening in vulnerable communities. They are also telling people to stay on guard.