Raging Yamuna floods homes; Nigambodh ghats shut, as river breaches 207-metre mark

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) Waters from a raging Yamuna submerged homes, destroyed shop goods and disrupted traffic in several areas, throwing life out of gear for thousands of people in the national capital, as the river breached the 207-metre mark on Wednesday for the fifth time since 1963.

The water from the flooded river also entered the Nigambodh Ghat, Delhi's oldest and busiest cremation ground, forcing it to halt operations.

The Geeta Colony crematorium was also flooded, forcing the staff to look for dry places to carry out cremations.

According to the revenue department, while 8,018 people have been moved to tents, 2,030 have been shifted to 13 permanent shelters. Around 180 people are yet to be shifted.

All 13 regulator drains in the city were closed to avoid any backflow of water from the Yamuna as the water level in the river is high and reaching a critical point, a government official told PTI.

Carrying their belongings on their heads, people waded through neck-deep water to move to safer locations. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, and fire department have been roped in to carry out the rescue work.

From shopkeepers in Majnu-ka-Tila to families in Madanpur Khadar, Jaitpur, and Badarpur, many have been displaced and forced to relocate to makeshift shelters, hoping for the waters to recede.

The Yamuna continued to be in a state of spate as it swelled to 207.39 metres at 8 pm. According to the flood update report, it is expected to rise further.

More than 1.68 lakh cusecs of water were released from Hathnikund Barrage towards Delhi on Wednesday.

According to officials, North, North East, Shahdara, East, Central and South East districts of the national capital are prone to flooding.

About 10,000 people living in low-lying areas are impacted due to the swollen river.

In 2023, when the city was hit by severe flooding, the Yamuna's level rose to 208.66 metres. The other highest ever was in 1978, when the river bobbed at 207.49 metres.

In 2010, its level rose to 207.11 metres, and in 2013 to 207.32 metres.

The government has set up relief camps at 38 locations, setting up 522 tents at 27 locations.

The city's Irrigation and Flood Control Department is coordinating with its counterpart in Uttar Pradesh to monitor the discharge of water from Okhla Barrage, officials said.

They said higher discharge from Okhla Barrage is better for the smooth exit of water from the national capital.

In a related move, Chairperson of the Standing Committee in MCD, Satya Sharma, directed the public health department to carry out spraying of insecticides in flood-affected areas and relief camps near the Yamuna to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.

At Majnu-ka-Tila, the busy market fell silent after water entered the lanes.

Shopkeeper Anup Thapa said he evacuated his store around 11 pm.

"We shifted most of our goods, but some still got spoiled. Even after the water goes, we will have to repair the shop, which will cost us," he said.

Thapa, who lived with his wife and a three-year-old daughter beside the shop, has moved to a roadside camp.

"This is the second time after 2023. I urge the government to clean the streets and fix the area so that such incidents don't happen again," he added, pointing to electric wires hanging dangerously low above the floodwater.

Delhi battled one of its worst flood-like situations in 2023, when several areas were inundated after heavy rain and over 25,000 people had to be evacuated.

The river that year reached an all-time high of 208.66 metres, surpassing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set in September 1978.

The river breached embankments and penetrated deeper into the city than it had in over four decades.

In Madanpur Khadar, families who lost their jhuggis are staying under old plastic sheets tied along the roadside.

"All our belongings are inside. We could barely take out a few things. Women are facing a lot of problems as there are no toilets," said Tayara.

Several stray dogs, many of them injured and even pregnant, were rescued from flooded areas near the Yamuna by animal lovers and activists, she said.

The Nigambodh facility stopped conducting cremations around 2.30 pm, and only the rituals which began earlier in the morning were being completed, an MCD official said.

Located along the Ring Road behind the Red Fort, Nigambodh Ghat, with a capacity of 42 cremation platforms, is the city's oldest, largest, and busiest cremation ground. On average, it handles 55 to 60 cremations daily.

The Delhi Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory announcing diversions due to rising water levels of the Yamuna River at Vasudev Ghat, which has affected vehicular movement on the Outer Ring Road from Majnu-ka-Tila till Salimgarh By-Pass.

According to the police, traffic will be diverted at Wazirabad-Signature Bridge and Chandgi Ram Akhada-IP College red light towards alternate routes.

Heavy congestion is expected on the Outer Ring Road and adjoining stretches. PTI SSM SLB SHB NSM BUN 1.0.0 VN VN