Yamina River image: Water level rises close to the danger mark in Delhi
The Yamuna River was flowing close to the warning mark in Delhi Wednesday morning and is likely to swell further. More water is being released into Yamuna from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana, officials said.
The water level was recorded at 203.78 metre at the Old Railway Bridge at 8 am. The water level was recorded at 203.98 metre Tuesday evening, precariously close to the warning level of 204.50 metre, according to the official.”The flow rate was 36,557 cusec at 5 pm on Tuesday, the maximum in the last 24 hours… The water level is likely to increase in the next 48 hours,” the water department official said.
The water discharged from the barrage – which provides drinking water to Delhi – usually takes 72 hours to reach the capital. Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund Barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge increased after heavy rainfall in the catchment area. Last year, the flow rate had peaked to 8.28 lakh cusec on August 18-19, and the water level of the Yamuna had breached the danger mark.
The Delhi government had to launch relief operations after many low-lying areas were inundated. Delhi’s water minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said, the government was ready to deal with any flood-like situation.
The India Meteorological Department has also warned of “heavy to very heavy” rainfall in northwest India, which is likely to increase water level of the river.
