Yamuna in spate, flood threat looms over Haryana, Delhi

CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI - With nearly 700,000 cusecs of water being discharged into the Yamuna river from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana, a flood threat loomed large over various districts of the state and the national capital, where the river was flowing over the danger mark Sunday evening.

Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Uttrakhand resulted in the heavy inflows into the Yamuna. Following this, the Haryana government alerted officials in all districts along the river about possible floods, an official said in Chandigarh Sunday.

The Haryana government has also sought the assistance of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to tackle the threat, he said.

“A discharge of 268,431 cusecs of water was observed in the river Yamuna at Hathini Kund barrage at 6 a.m. today (Sunday) which increased to 650,000 cusecs by 5 p.m. and it is still increasing. Yesterday (Saturday), a discharge of only 73,689 cusecs of water was observed,” said a spokesperson of the Haryana revenue department in Chandigarh Sunday.

“Field staff of the irrigation department in Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat, Faridabad and Palwal districts has been alerted to take preventive measures, as there is a flood threat at various critical sites. Flood water from Yamuna river is likely to enter 22 villages in Yamunanagar district,” he said.

These villages included Kalesar, Baburambass, Mamdubas, Tappukamalpur, Punehri, Baghwali, Jathlana and Sandhala-Sandhali.

The spokesperson said that flood water has started reaching Karnal district as 300,000 cusecs of water was reportedly flowing in the river by 5 p.m. Sunday at Karnal.

The villages that are facing immediate flood threat in Karnal district included Chougam, Hansu Majra, Garhi Birbal, Garhpur Tapu, Palsora, Halwana, Nabiyabad, Japti Chhapra, Sayed Chhapra, Nagli and Dera Sikkligarh, the official said.

Over 30 people were killed in floods in Haryana in July.

After passing through Haryana the river flows into Delhi.

In New Delhi, the flood control and irrigation department’s chief engineer V.P.S. Tomar said: “The water level in the Yamuna is increasing. The Yamuna is flowing at 205.14 metres whereas the danger mark is 204.83 metres.”

He said they were expecting the water level to further rise to 205.65 metres by 5 p.m. Monday.

However, this time round, rescue boats and booster pumps were not required as people who were earlier evacuated from the low-lying areas are still in relief camps.

“People have still not moved back to the low-lying areas which had been evacuated earlier. They are still living in the make shift camps,” added Tomar.

The river’s water level in Delhi is expected to subside by the next weekend, said Tomar.