Yamuna Water Level Breaches 45-Year Record In Delhi, Section 144 Imposed In Flood-Prone Areas

The Yamuna river in Delhi breached the 45-year-old level and is flowing at 207.55 metres on Wednesday, triggering flood fear in the national capital.

The Yamuna River in Delhi breached the 45-year-old record level as it touched 207.55 metres on Wednesday, triggering flood fear in the national capital. In 1978, the water level in the river rose to 204.79 metres. The Delhi Police has also imposed Sector 144 of the CrPC in the flood-prone areas as a precautionary measure and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also called an emergency meeting.

A Delhi government official told PTI that the meeting would be held at the Delhi Secretariat and all senior officers of all departments concerned have been asked to be present. Speaking on the situation, Delhi Minister Atishi said the government was fully prepared to tackle any situation.

"We are regularly conducting evacuations near the Yamuna River. Several embankments have been installed to prevent the breach of water. We are monitoring the situation continuously," Atishi further said.

What Happened In 1978?

Forty-five years after Delhi was devastated by a raging Yamuna as the capital witnessed a devastating flood after 7 lakh cusecs water was released into the Yamuna from the Hathnikund barrage and the water level in the river rose to 204.79 metres at the Old Railway Bridge. In 2013, even more water was released (207.32 cusecs), but flooding was prevented as anti-water accumulation measures were undertaken by constructing embankments and shank guards reported Hindustan Times. 

Lakhs of people were affected due to inundation in many areas. Then many areas of the capital were completely submerged in water and water had entered people's homes. About 43 square kilometres of fields were submerged and crops were ruined.

At that time the level of Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge had touched the 207.49-metre mark. Since then, the level of Yamuna has crossed the mark of 207 metres twice — in 2010 (207.11 m) and in 2013 (207.32 m).  Noida had also been affected in these years by the swollen Yamuna.

The flood threw Delhi into a state of emergency with a lack of drinking water at the refugee camps and villages that had been cut off due to the flooding running out of food and other supplies. Fear of diseases like cholera also loomed large.