Yamuna River: The water level of the Yamuna River in Delhi fell below the danger limit on Saturday, remaining around the danger limit of 205.33 meters in recent days. However, new heavy rains have been reported in parts of Uttarakhand and may lead to a rise in the water level of the river.
The rise in water levels may further delay rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected low-lying areas of Delhi. India’s Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy Rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand through July 25. According to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level fell from 205.34 meters at 6pm on Saturday to 205.29 meters on Saturday. In other states, it may decrease further before the effect of rainfall becomes apparent in the upper watersheds.
According to the CWC data, the water inflow from the Hathiniund barrage in Yamunanagar was 1.47 lakh cusecs at 9 a.m. which is the highest since July 13. Bhim Singh Rawat, co-coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, said rainfall is decreasing in the upper river basins and the water inflow from the Hathnikund barrage should not exceed the 3 lakh cusecs mark. The CWC hydrograph does not show much rise in the water level of rivers in hilly areas except the Bata River.
The upper catchment areas, mainly Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, have seen minor fluctuations in water levels over the past 4 to 5 days due to rainfall. In the event of heavy rains in the higher parts of Delhi, the rise in water levels could slow the pace of rehabilitation of stricken families in flood-affected low-lying parts of the capital and lead to prolonged stays in relief camps.
This could also affect the water supply in the city, where the situation did not return to normal until Tuesday. Due to flooding in a pump house in Wazirabad, the situation was disrupted for 4 to 5 days. This pump house supplies raw water to the water treatment plants of Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla, which accounts for about 25 percent of the city’s supply.
Some parts of Delhi have been experiencing flooding and flooding for more than a week. Initially, excessive rainfall on July 8 and 9 caused severe flooding and the city received 125 percent of its monthly quota in these two days. Meanwhile, heavy rains in the upper basins of the Yamuna River, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana, brought water levels to record levels. The water flow broke the dikes and penetrated deep into the city for more than 4 decades.
The effects of the floods have been devastating, with more than 27,000 people evacuated from their homes in the city. Loss of property, business and income has crept in. Experts attribute the degradation of the Yamuna River floodplain, excessive rainfall in a short period of time and the accumulation of silt to the unprecedented flooding in Delhi. (Language)
Edited by: Ravindra Gupta
