Yamuna river continues to flow near warning level in Delhi; water level likely to increase further

The Yamuna was flowing dangerously close to the warning mark in Delhi on Wednesday and is likely to swell further with more water expected to be released from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana, officials said.

The weather department has also forecast 'heavy to very rainfall' in northwest India over the next three to four days.

The water level was recorded at 203.68 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 6 pm.

Water was being released into the Yamuna at the rate of 25,000 cusec at 6 pm from the Hathnikund barrage, an official of the Irrigation and Flood Control department said.

"The flow rate was 36,557 cusec at 5 pm on Tuesday, the maximum in the last 24 hours. The water level is likely to increase slightly as more water is expected to be released," he said.

One cusec is equivalent to 28.32 litre per second.

The water level was recorded at 203.78 metres at 8 am on Wednesday, precariously close to the warning mark of 204.50 metres, according to the official.

The river had swelled to 204.38 metres on Monday, which was just a metre below the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

The water discharged from the barrage — which provides drinking water to Delhi — normally takes 72 hours to reach the capital.

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 metre-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.

In 1978, the river had swelled to the all-time record water level of 207.49 meters, while in In 2013, it had risen to 207.32 metres.

Delhi's Water Minister Satyendar Jain had Monday said the government was ready to deal with any flood-like situation.

The India Meteorological Department has also warned of "heavy to very heavy" rainfall in northwest India, which is likely to increase water levels of the river.

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 to four days due to the northward shifting of the monsoon trough."