New Delhi: The water level in Yamuna River has stabilised and will start reducing in four hours, a senior Central Water Commission official said on Thursday, reported PTI.
The water level at the Old Railway Bridge rose to 208.62 metres at 1 pm and remained stable till 4 pm, according to the flood-monitoring portal.
Central Water Commission (CWC) Director Sharad Chandra told PTI, "The water level has stabilised and it will start coming down in the next four hours. It is expected to drop to 208.45 metres by 3 am on Friday."
He said the rate of water flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana dropped to 80,000 cusecs at 4 pm.
On Wednesday night, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge surpassed the 208-metre mark, leading the CWC to describe it as an "extreme situation."
The raging river has inundated several areas, impacted public and private infrastructure, road and rail traffic and caused immense hardships to people living near the river.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Centre to intervene, while the city police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in flood-prone areas to prevent unlawful assembly of four or more people and public movement in groups.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority directed all non-essential government offices, schools and colleges in the city to be closed till Sunday. Private establishments across the city have been advised to work from home.
According to PTI, Delhi recorded a rapid rise in the Yamuna's water level over the past four days. It shot up from 203.14 metres at 11 am on Sunday to 205.4 metres at 5 pm on Monday, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres 18 hours earlier than expected.
The river exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres Monday night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic.
The water level breached the previous record of 207.49 metres by 1 pm on Wednesday and the 208-metre mark by 10 pm.