More than 1000 people have been evacuated from the low-lying areas near Yamuna river after the water level crossed the danger mark and reached 205.30 metres on Saturday evening. The Delhi government will be making public announcement on Monday to spread awareness among the people about the danger level mark. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting called by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to check on the preventive measures to be taken in the present situation.
Around 5 lakh cusecs of water was released from Haryana's Hathini Kund barrage on Saturday evening. The government has identified around 15 vulnerable areas in the capital where the water levels are on the danger mark.
"We are shifting the residents to the nearest high-ground areas. Tents have been set up on the ground and from Monday we will be serving food to the people too. Other facilities like toilet, drinking water, power, medicines, ambulance services will be made available for the people living in these areas," said a senior Delhi government official.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held an emergency meeting on Saturday with top officials of his government, including Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, to take stock of the situation after the Yamuna crossed the danger mark in the state. Kejriwal said all departments have been put on high alert.
“Haryana has released 5 lakh cusec water. Called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. This water likely to reach Del by tomo eve. Wherever administration evacuating people, they r requested to cooperate. All depts put on high alert. For any flood related emergency, control room no is 1077 (sic),” he tweeted on Saturday.
A view of Yamuna river on Saturday.
As many as 43 boats have been deployed on the river bank to track the movements of the passerby. Civil defence volunteer and some members from the department of revenue have been also stationed at the banks to monitor the situation. "This has been done to ensure no one enters the river," added the official.
Meanwhile, the district administration of Yamunanagar has sounded a high alert as the water level in the Yamuna river crossed the five lakh cusecs mark following continuous rainfall in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The district administration, said all the necessary arrangements have been made to tackle it.
The water level in Yamuna river increased after 1.31 lakh cusec water was released from Hathnikund Barrage due to heavy rainfall in the hills.
The Yamuna passes through Yamunanagar, Karnal and Panipat districts in Haryana before entering Delhi.
The MeT department on Saturday predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall' in entire north India for the next couple of days which could result in further swelling of rivers in the region.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday took stock of the ongoing evacuation work in the low-lying areas of the city.
Sisodia met the people living in the vicinity of the river and urged them to move to safer places, cautioning about the rising level of the Yamuna river. Many people have started moving to higher planes, another official said.
"All executive engineers/sector officers are directed to keep in close contact with the control room in relation to the discharge, water level at the Old Railway Bridge and the advisory or forecast from the Central Water Commission/MeT, and requested to take appropriate measures/steps accordingly to avoid flood-like situation," an advisory from the authorities said.
East Delhi Assistant District Magistrate Ajay Kumar said that evacuation process is underway. The district authorities have put relief camps at various places, he added. He further stated that the situation is under control.
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