Delhi On High Alert As Yamuna Crosses Danger Mark; Red Alert Issued For Himachal

The water level in Yamuna River touched 206. 24 meters, slightly above the danger mark of 205.33 meteres, Central Water Commission said on Tuesday.
The oficials further informed that the high flood level is--207.49 meteres. "The water level in Yamuna River crosses the danger mark of 205.33 mtr, touching 206.24 mtr; the high flood level is--207.49 mtr," Central Water Commission said. The Rail traffic over the old Yamuna bridge in Delhi has been temporarily suspended since 6.00 a.m, today till July 11, said Northern Railway.

Meanwhile, rise in water level in Yamuna was also seen at Vikasnagar, in Uttarakhand's Dehradun due to continous rainfall. Earlier, the water level of the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge was recorded at 206.04 mm at 11 pm on Monday. The Yamuna River in Delhi, which was flowing above warning level for hours, crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres at 5 pm on Monday, the latest data from the flood control department said.

The water level in Yamuna is rising continuously as Haryana released more water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage amid rains across northwest India including the national capital. According to the Flood Control Department, around 2,15,677 cusecs water was discharged through the Hathnikund barrage at 3 pm on Monday. A fresh spell of rainfall lashed the city on Monday afternoon.

The areas in the city continued to face water-logging due to incessant rains on Saturday and Sunday and a fresh spell of rainfall on Monday.

The record rainfall in the national capital has impacted all sections, including the poor, the daily wagers and those commuting to reach their destinations. While families around the Yamuna living in hutments will have to shift in case water level rises further, rainwater also entered the homes of some civil servants. The plight of locals across the societal divide has only served to reinforce the fact that the floods, this year, have hit the poor as well as the powerful.

As the rainwater inundated roads and led to long queues of vehicles stuck in the downpour, residents, including people living in the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri, vented out their migivings over Delhi's inadequate drainage system. The diplomatic enclave housing foreign missions, in Chanakyapuri, as well as other areas housing VIPs were inundated.

Owing to the heavy rainfall and waterlogging, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) also advised senior bureaucrats residing on ground floors to relocate to safer places as a precautionary measure. There were reports of house collapses and waterlogging in several residential colonies. Waterlogging woes were also observed in diplomatic enclaves such as Chanakyapuri, Kaka Nagar, Bharti Nagar, and other prominent roads and colonies in the jurisdiction of the NDMC.

There appears to be no immediate respite in the offiing for Himachal Pradesh, which has been battered by rains over the last few days, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), on Tuesday, issued "red" and "orange" alerts for several districts of the hill-state for the next 24 hours "A red alert has been issued for very heavy rainfall in Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, and Lahaul for the next 24 hours. Additionally, an orange alert has been issued in Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, and Chamba. A flash flood warning has been issued for Mandi, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti for the next 24 hours," said senior IMD Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma on Monday. Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jairam Thakur on Monday said the state recorded unprecented rains in the past few days, adding that he was concerned over the loss of lives and damage to public infrastructure.

Thakur, who is now the Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Assembly, told ANI that Himachal Pradesh had "not seen such rain in its history" as over 12 major bridges have been damaged. "We never saw such a situation in the past several years. I am very concerned over the prevailing situation in the state. Several big and small rivers are in spate and if the situation persists over the next few days, there could be further damage," he said.

The rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh triggering landslides, causing power disruption, blocking roads, and damaging bridges. Nature's fury in the state has claimed 20 lives over the past 48 hours. Tourists were stranded in parts of the hill-state, with the loss of infrastructure estimated at between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs. 4,000 crore.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said the state has not seen such heavy rains in the last 50 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, spoke to the Himachal CM on the prevailing situation, assuring full support from the Centre.