Yamuna swells amid heavy rains,flood warnings issued in Delhi, Haryana
The Yamuna has swollen after days of heavy rains resulting in steep rise of water-level at Haryana's Hathnikund barrage, which crossed 1.36L cusecs yesterday morning. Since this is classified as 'medium floods', both Delhi and Haryana have warned people who stay on the riverbanks not to venture near the river. This is the first of the three warnings usually issued by authorities.
Rescue boats kept on standby, officials asked to be vigilant
As per advisory, rescue boats have been kept on standby and officials have been asked to be vigilant. However, the irrigation and flood control department said water may not reach the main city, as 10 barriers along the river would contain it, but people living in low-lying areas like Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur and Sonia Vihar are vulnerable. They maybe asked "to move to higher-grounds."
'No worry for Delhi as depression points to fill-up first'
"As water discharge was very low in the recent days, the heavy discharge will only fill depression points in the river as it reaches Delhi," said an official, adding, "Water level in the Yamuna (at old Iron Bridge) is already near the danger mark."
First flood warning issued as water crosses 1L cusecs limit
An official said out of three warnings, the first has been issued, because the barrage, located around 200km north, has crossed the limit of 1L cusecs of water. The other two will be issued when water reaches 3L and 5L cusecs mark, respectively. A senior official said water may rise further due to heavy downpour, but there's no cause for alarm as of yet.
'Flooding is good for Yamuna; helps cleanse it'
However, environmentalists pointed out that flooding is a natural process, and is actually good for the Yamuna River. "The water will help clean the river and recharge ground water," said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan. While Diwan Singh, convener of Natural Heritage First, said, "Delhiites are safe as it'd take minimum 2-3L cusecs to fill up the entire floodplain. Slum-dwellers face the risk."
