Rain forecast puts Delhi, Faridabad on alert amid Yamuna floods
The water level in the Yamuna River, which was expected to recede from Thursday evening, remained at 208.46m at Delhi's Old Railway Bridge at 6:00am on Friday. As the flooding due to the overflowing river has disrupted life in Delhi and surrounding areas, the forecast of light rain in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) has exacerbated the fears of residents.
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The unprecedented rise in the Yamuna River's water level was triggered by heavy downpours in the upper catchment areas of the river over the weekend. Several parts of Delhi are waterlogged, and thousands of people have been displaced, especially from the city's low-lying areas. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday directed non-essential government offices, schools, and colleges to stay closed until Sunday.
IMD issues yellow alert in Delhi for Saturday
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rain on Friday and moderate rain on Saturday in Delhi. In view of the spate, the IMD issued a yellow alert in Delhi for Saturday. The Red Fort has been closed to visitors due to severe waterlogging. Nigambodh Ghat crematorium, Yamuna Bazar, Bhairon Marg, and Mathura Road near the Supreme Court are also reportedly submerged.
4,500 police personnel deployed in Delhi
Faridabad under red alert
Furthermore, the Cyclone Warning Center (CWC) has issued a red alert for the Yamuna River in Faridabad as the water level at Manjhawali Yamuna Bridge surpassed the all-time high of 193.96m and stood at 194.0m. The National Disaster Response Force's (NDRF) team and the police rescued 90 farm laborers from Amirpur village on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Flooding damages irrigation department regulator
Amid the inundation, a regulator of the Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Department near the Indraprastha bus stand and the World Health Organization (WHO) building on Drain No. 12 was damaged. The compromised regulator allowed water to flow back to the city, exacerbating the situation. All trains on the Delhi- Shahdara line have also been short-terminated or diverted via the New Delhi-Shivaji Bridge section.
