50 ft drain breach in Delhi's Jharoda Kalan area floods homes, rescue operations underway

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) Several people were evacuated in overnight operations from Delhi's Jharoda Kalan area after a 50-foot embankment of the Mangeshpur drain breached, inundating many low-lying areas, police said.

The breach occurred on Tuesday evening, leading to nearly five feet of water entering Geetanjali Enclave and adjoining pockets of Jharoda Kalan village near Baba Haridass Nagar in Delhi’s Dwarka, they said.

According to police, water gushed into residential areas within minutes, prompting an immediate rescue operation. Teams from the police, along with disaster management officials, worked through the night to shift residents to safer locations.

"No loss of life has been reported. People were evacuated on priority and housed in nearby government schools of Jharoda Kalan," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ankit Singh said.

The overnight operation was supervised by DCP Singh, along with ACP Najafgarh. The on-ground evacuation was carried out by over 30 police personnel, he added.

The officer said evacuation work is still underway in coordination with agencies such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Delhi government's disaster management teams, as water levels remain high in certain pockets.

Residents of the affected areas were seen wading through waist-deep water carrying essential belongings before being shifted to temporary shelters.

"Food and medical assistance will soon reach the evacuees housed in the schools," the DCP said.

Authorities are monitoring the drain closely to prevent further damage or flooding. "All emergency resources have been mobilised and teams are on standby. The situation is being reviewed on a continuous basis," another officer said.

Further rescue and relief work is expected to continue until the water recedes, officials said. PTI BM HIG HIG