Yamuna water level rises above 205.33m, surpassing danger mark in Delhi.
IMD forecasts moderate rain till September 2 and thunderstorms expected afterward.
Evacuation plans are on standby, with tents prepared for residents in low-lying areas.
The water level of Delhi's Yamuna crossed the danger mark on the morning of August 31 recording a water level above 205.33 metres and is rising due to continuous heavy rainfall in Delhi. The national capital has been experiencing rainfall for the past few days.
The warning mark for the water level of Yamuna is 204.50 metres, while the danger mark is 205.33 metres, and evacuation of people starts at 206 metres.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast for New Delhi stating that it will have "Generally cloudy sky with moderate rain" from August 31 till September 2. Thunderstorm with rain is expected on September 3, whereas rain and thundershowers have been forecast for September 4 and 5.
The water level of Yamuna river remained in the ‘danger level’ on the afternoon of August 30 as well. As per the Central Water Comission (CWC) data quoted by The Hindu, the water level of the Yamuna at Old Railway Bridge in Delhi was 205.52 metres at 8 pm on August 30.
The release of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana (upstream of Delhi) due to high rainfall in upstream areas further contributes to the Yamuna breaching the ‘danger level’ in Delhi during monsoons.
The Yamuna breaches the ‘danger level’ in Delhi during most monsoons, and people living close to the river are evacuated from six of the total 11 affected districts. But this does not generally bring the city to a standstill, as only low-lying areas are affected.
Earlier on August 28, a flood relief camp was set up in Delhi's Mayur Vihar, as the water level of the River Yamuna had crossed the danger mark on August 27.
"These tents are set up for living...People living inside their homes near the river will come out and live in these tents when the flood comes," Ashok, a resident of Mayur Vihar, told ANI about these flood relief camps.
Yamuna Flood Protocols Explained
According to the Delhi government’s protocol, about 12,500 people are to be evacuated from the six affected districts after the Yamuna crosses the evacuation mark of 206 metres, reported The Hindu.
The administration has set up tents in low-lying areas across different parts of the city, but evacuation has not yet begun, according to officials.
According to protocol, the Delhi Police and the DDMA use boats to notify residents about the rising water level in low-lying areas once the water level surpasses the "warning level".
