Yamuna level crosses danger mark again, Delhi govt issues alert

A senior official of the CWC said that it was, however, likely to stabilise thereafter. “There is a slight increase. While it is likely to rise a little more by midnight, a further increase is not expected after that,” the official said.

The official attributed the rise in levels to both rainfall that may have occurred upstream, as well water from the floodplains returning to the river.

After having remained above the danger mark for a little more than a week, the water level had fallen below the danger mark on Tuesday but rose past the ‘danger’ level again on Wednesday, before falling below this mark once more on Thursday morning.

Some parts of the floodplains in Delhi remain inundated, with the water not having receded entirely yet after levels in the river rose last week, following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Yamuna.

Meanwhile, Lt-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena Friday visited Rajghat, which had reported waterlogging up to 8 feet deep, after the site was drained.

He said in a tweet: “Sincere & consistent efforts since 15.07.23 by all stakeholder agencies have resulted in restoration of the Rajghat Samadhi area and its approach. The stagnant floodwater has been substantially drained out & restoration of pavements and landscaping is underway. Used this opportunity to pay homage to the Father of the Nation this morning. Kudos to the officials & workmen who worked ceaselessly.”

City can expect rainfall over the weekend

A single weather observatory in Delhi, the one in North Delhi’s Mungeshpur, recorded 21.5 mm of rainfall on Friday. Light rainfall is expected over the weekend, going by the IMD forecast.

Heavy rainfall was recorded in parts of Himachal Pradesh between 8.30 am on Thursday and 8.30 am on Friday, along with thunderstorms in parts of Northwest India on Friday, including areas in Haryana, Chandigarh, Western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, according to the IMD.

The forecast also indicates that light to moderate rainfall is likely on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. The rainfall activity over northwest India is likely to increase around July 25 with the western end of the monsoon trough shifting northwards, according to the IMD.

Other parts of northwest India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, North Haryana and Chandigarh could see rainfall on Friday as well.