Yamuna threatens Delhi: Floodwaters enter homes, residents affected; traffic police issue advisory

NEW DELHI: With the Yamuna crossing the danger mark on Tuesday and continuous rain lashing the city, water entered houses in parts of the Trans-Yamuna areas of Delhi, while flooding in other localities forced the Delhi Traffic Police to issue a traffic advisory.

According to officials, the river was flowing at 205.80 metres at the Old Yamuna Bridge (OYB) at 8 am, surpassing the danger mark of 205.33 metres. The situation worsened after overnight rains, as residents in areas such as Mayur Vihar and nearby localities woke up to waterlogged streets and flooded homes.


As of 8 am, officials reported that the Yamuna received 1.76 lakh cusecs of water from Hathni Kund Barrage, 69,210 cusecs from Wazirabad Barrage, and 73,619 cusecs from Okhla Barrage.

Authorities have been making announcements from boats, asking people living near the riverbanks to evacuate.

Traffic advisory issued
The Delhi Traffic Police announced the closure of the Old Iron Bridge for traffic and public movement from 4 pm on September 2 until further orders.

Commuters have been advised to use Hanuman Setu, Raja Ram Kohli Marg, and Geeta Colony Road as alternate routes, avoid the Old Iron Bridge and adjoining stretches, and rely on public transport while planning extra travel time.

Rescue operations in Burari
In Burari, city authorities launched rescue operations to save farmers stranded in fields. A member of the evacuation team described the situation as “dangerous” due to the continuous release of water from the Hathni Kund Barrage.

“The situation is dangerous right now because water has been released from Hathni Kund Barrage. We have been rescuing people since last night,” the team member said.

The rescue team confirmed that all stranded people had been brought to safety. Since last night, around 50–60 people have been rescued, with efforts also underway to retrieve belongings and livestock.

“We have rescued people safely. We will also retrieve the belongings left behind and rescue any livestock that is stranded. These boats are being operated on behalf of the Delhi government,” the team member added.

"We have been rescuing people since last night. We have rescued people safely. We will also retrieve the belongings of the people that have been left behind. We have rescued 50-60 people since last night. We will also rescue any livestock that is found to be stranded. These boats are being operated on behalf of Delhi Government," the rescue team member added..

Meanwhile, at 10:30 am, the water level of the Yamuna rose further following heavy rainfall in Majnu Ka Tila. Anticipating possible flooding, shopkeepers at Monastery Market in Civil Lines shifted their goods as a precautionary measure.

(With inputs from agency)