Yamuna continues to flow close to warning mark, forecast for more rains

Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge is increased after heavy rainfall in catchment areas. Last year, the flow rate had peaked to 8.28 lakh cusec on August 18-19, and the water level of the Yamuna had hit the 206.60 meter-mark, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 meters.

The Yamuna was flowing precariously close to the warning mark on Tuesday and water levels in the river is likely to increase as the weather department warned of "heavy to very heavy" rainfall in northwest India. "The water level was recorded at 204 metres at 10 am and at 203.98 metres at 6 pm, below the warning level of 204.50 metres," an official of the Irrigation and Flood Control department said. The river had swelled to 204.38 metres on Monday, which was just a metre below the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

Kudeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of the India Meteorological Department, said heavy to very rainfall is likely in northwest India over the next three four days due to the northward shifting of the monsoon trough. Water was being released into the Yamuna at the rate of 33,406 cubic metres per second (cusec) at 6 pm from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana's Yamunanagar district. One cusec is equivalent to 28.317 litre per second.

The flow rate was 7,418 cusec at 10 am, the official said. Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge is increased after heavy rainfall in catchment areas.

Last year, the flow rate had peaked to 8.28 lakh cusec on August 18-19, and the water level of the Yamuna had hit the 206.60 meter-mark, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 meters. The Delhi government had to launch evacuation and relief operations after the overflowing river submerged many low-lying areas.

Delhi's Water Minister Satyendar Jain had Monday said the government was ready to deal with any flood-like situation. "We have a flood-control system ready and it will be activated when any situation demands it," he said.

The government has a plan ready for all the areas along the Yamuna, right from Palla village to Okhla, he said. The water level of the river rose due to heavy rainfall in its catchment area over the last few days.