Delhi Police imposes Section 144 CrPC as Yamuna rises to record level

The Delhi Police on Tuesday said that it has imposed Section 144 CrPC as a precautionary measure in the flood-prone areas in Delhi as the Yamuna river rose to its highest ever level of 207.25 metres in last 45 years.

According to the flood-monitoring portal of the central water commission (CWC), the water level of the Yamuna River at the old Railway bridge in Delhi surpassed the significant 207-meter mark at 4 am on Wednesday, marking the first time this has occurred since 2013. Subsequently, the water level continued to rise and reached 207.25 meters by 8 am.

Over the past three days, Delhi has witnessed a rapid surge in the water level of the Yamuna River. Starting from 203.14 meters at 11 am on Sunday, the water level escalated to 205.4 meters by 5 pm on Monday, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 meters. The breach occurred 18 hours earlier than anticipated, highlighting the severity of the situation.

The Delhi government has issued a flood warning and has deployed teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to areas along the Yamuna river. These teams are on standby to provide assistance in case of flooding, reported PTI.

People living in low-lying areas along the Yamuna river have been shifted to safer places. The Old Railway Bridge has been closed for traffic. All gates of the Okhla Barrage have been opened to release excess water and prevent prolonged high water levels.

The India Meteorological Department said that the heavy rain is expected to continue in the upper catchment areas of the Yamuna river, which could further increase the water level in Delhi.

Authorities have urged people to stay safe and avoid going to low-lying areas along the Yamuna river. They have also asked people to keep an eye on the weather forecast and to follow the instructions of the authorities.

(Inputs from PTI)

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