Yamuna rises above danger mark, approaches evacuation level in Delhi

The water level of the Yamuna in Delhi rose to 205.79 metres at the Old Railway Bridge on Tuesday morning, 19 August, just below the 206-metre evacuation mark.

On Monday afternoon, the river had crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres, reaching 205.55 metres, and has continued to rise since.

Officials said the rise is mainly due to large volumes of water being released from the Hathnikund and Wazirabad barrages. Currently, Hathnikund is releasing around 38,361 cusecs per hour, while Wazirabad is discharging about 68,230 cusecs. Water released from these barrages typically takes 48–50 hours to reach Delhi.

Authorities are on high alert, with all agencies instructed to take precautionary measures. Chief minister Rekha Gupta is expected to visit low-lying areas to review flood preparedness.

Officials said the situation is under close watch, and all concerned agencies have been directed to take precautionary steps to manage potential flood conditions.

"The Yamuna water level is rising mostly due to high volumes of water released from the Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrages every hour," an official from the central flood room said.

The warning mark for the Yamuna in Delhi is 204.50 metres, the danger mark is 205.33 metres, and evacuations begin at 206 metres. The Old Railway Bridge continues to serve as the key monitoring point for tracking flood risks.

With PTI inputs