Overflowing Yamuna leaves Delhi flooded, drinking water supply likely to be disrupted

New Delhi: Floods wreaked widespread havoc across Delhi causing immense hardship for people as the Yamuna river water level rose to record high. Roads turned into rivers and water gushed into houses, medical facilities, crematoriums and shelter homes. Inmates of two shelter homes were shifted to safe location.

Amid the flooding, the city is staring at drinking water shortage as the Delhi government decided to cut down supply by 25 per cent following the closure of three water treatment plants -- Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla -- due to the rising level of the Yamuna.

The river swelled to a staggering 208.62 metres at 1 pm on Thursday, smashing the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres set 45 years ago by a significant margin.

The Irrigation Department, in a statement, said the Yamuna has crossed the danger mark of 200.60 metre and there is a "possibility that the level would only increase further".

Meanwhile, a senior Central Water Commission official stated that the water level of the Yamuna river in Delhi has stabilised and will start receding tonight.

Govt likely to rationalise water supply
The national capital is staring at a drinking water shortage as the Delhi government decided to cut down supply by 25 per cent following the closure of three water treatment plants due to the rising level of the Yamuna.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited the Wazirabad water treatment plant, warned of rationalising water supply to deal with "acute shortage".

"Due to an increase in the Yamuna water level, many water treatment plants had to be closed. I visited the Wazirabad plant on the banks of the Yamuna. We will start it as soon as the situation turns to normalcy," he tweeted.

In an earlier tweet, Kejriwal announced the closure of the Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla water treatment plants due to the rising Yamuna level.

"The water treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla are being shut due to the rising Yamuna water level.

"Due to this, there will be a problem of water supply in some areas. These plants will start functioning as soon as the Yamuna water recedes," he earlier said in a tweet in Hindi.

The chief minister said the water supply may be affected in parts of the city by the shutting down of treatment plants.

Trucks, buses submerge
Several key areas in Delhi, including the secretariat which houses the offices of the chief minister as well as his cabinet colleagues, were flooded on Thursday as authorities scrambled to lead rescue and relief efforts.

Waterlogging at the Kashmere Gate bus terminal forced the Delhi Transport Department to terminate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and elsewhere at the Singhu border. Trucks and buses were submerged in Yamuna Bazar area as Yamuna river continued to overflow breaching danger mark level.

Crematoriums shut
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people not to go to Nigamobodh Ghat to carry out last rites. The crematorium in Geeta Colony too was closed due to the rise in Yamuna water levels.

The Delhi civic body has advised people to take the body of their near and dear ones to other cremation grounds at Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri or preferably in their neighbourhood.

The Yamuna waters also reached the walls of the iconic Red Fort and people were seen navigating through waist-deep and in some places neck-high water. Severe waterlogging was also reported in Rajghat and Purana Qila areas.

Hospital flooded
As the main gate of the Delhi government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre got inundated, authorities were forced to transfer 40 patients to the LNJP Hospital, officials said.

Water also entered the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board's two shelter homes at Gandhi Park in Old Delhi and Geeta Ghat at Yamuna Bank -- the worst-affected parts of the national capital -- leading to the evacuation of its occupants.

In East Delhi, which is near the Yamuna river, areas such as Boat Club, Pandav Nagar, parts of Gandhi Nagar and Bhajanpura were inundated. Despite that, the locals in some areas were reluctant to move out of their homes, officials said.

Roads submerged, 12 NDRF team deployed

The Outer Ring Road near the Red Fort, Vishwakarma Colony, Yamuna Bazar, ISBT bus terminus, Kashmere Gate, Shankaracharya Road, Majnu Ka Tila, Batla House, Kirari and Kingsway Camp were among other areas that were inundated.

Twelve National Disaster Response Force teams, equipped with inflatable boats, ropes and other equipment, have been deployed in Delhi to help the administration in its rescue efforts.

More than 20,000 people have been shifted to the relief camps so far. There are 50 boats and more will be deployed if needed, Kejriwal said.

As the Yamuna continued to swell, the blame game over the water flow from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana into the river raged on.

Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal said not releasing excess water from the barrage could lead to "bigger damage" as it does not have a mechanism to store large volumes of water like a reservoir.

Hitting out at the AAP government, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir alleged that Delhi has become a "gutter"."Nothing is for free, this is the price," he tweeted.

Traffic restrictions in place

With traffic in the national capital, especially in east Delhi, severely impaired by the closure of roads due to the overflowing Yamuna, the city's traffic police issued an advisory on the restrictions and regulation of vehicular movement.

Waterlogging at the Kashmere Gate bus terminus forced the Delhi Transport Department to terminate buses from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and elsewhere at the Singhu border.

DTC buses will ferry people from there, officials said.

The Delhi Metro, the city's lifeline, was also hit as the Yamuna continued to be in spate. The DMRC said metro trains were crossing the four Yamuna bridges with a restricted speed of 30 kmph as a precautionary measure.

The Yamuna waters also reached the walls of the Red Fort and people were seen navigating through waist-deep and in some places neck-high water. Archaeological Survey of India said the fort was closed to visitors till July 14 due to a flood-like situation.

Several vehicles were abandoned in flood water under a railway bridge near Geeta Colony as well as in Loha Pul and Yamuna Bazar area.

As the main gate of the Delhi government-run Sushruta Trauma Centre got inundated, authorities were forced to transfer 40 patients to the LNJP Hospital, officials said.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday issued an advisory asking people not to go to Nigambodh Ghat to carry out last rites. The crematorium in Geeta Colony too was closed due to the rise in Yamuna water levels.

The civic body has advised people to take the body of their near and dear ones to other cremation grounds at Panchkuian Road, Sat Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Green Park, Dakshinpuri or preferably in their neighbourhood.

L-G Saxena held an emergency meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) because of the flood situation. Following the meeting, Kejriwal said, "All schools, colleges and universities are being closed till Sunday."

All government offices associated with non-essential services will be closed till Sunday and employees will work from home, he said, adding private offices will be issued an advisory to follow the work-from-home practice.

Officials said commercial establishments around Kashmere Gate will be asked to remain closed till Sunday.

A tourist bus carrying 40 to 45 passengers was partially submerged at the underpass near the secretariat and authorities rushed to their rescue. Fire department personnel could be seen rescuing children in their arms through the waist-deep water.

Despite the situation being grave, some people preferred to move to the upper floors of their buildings rather than shift to relief camps. Those rescued from the Yamuna floodplains and taken to relief camps complained of lack of facilities.

(with PTI inputs)