Kejriwal calls for emergency meet over rising water level in Yamuna; flood alert issued in Delhi, other states

People move to higher lands after water level increased in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj on Aug 18, 2019. (Photo: IANS)


Delhi Government has called for an emergency meeting of concerned officials on Monday in the wake of rising water level in the national capital as the Yamuna and other rivers neared the danger mark in the wake of incessant rains in the past few weeks in Haryana Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair the meeting.

The water level of Yamuna River was recorded at 204.70 meters earlier on Monday (the warning level is at 204.50 meters) after more than 8 lakh cusecs of water was released from Hathni Kund barrage.

The Delhi government has issued orders for evacuation and Civil Defence volunteers have been deployed.

Meanwhile, a flood alert was issued in parts of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh following incessant rains in northern India.

Punjab and Haryana have received rainfall over ten times more than the usual.

In Punjab, flood alert was issued in 250 villages of eight districts following heavy rainfall

Himachal Pradesh received the highest ever rainfall for a 24-hour period on Sunday, killing at least 24 people, since records began almost 70 years ago.

Earlier, the highest rainfall in a day was recorded on August 14, 2011, and that was 74 mm.

The water level in major rivers of Himachal – the Satluj, Beas and Yamuna – which enter the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana has increased.

National Highway-3 between Manali and Kullu has been damaged due to heavy rainfall.

Several roads including 13 National Highways were blocked owing to heavy rains in the last 24 hours in Himachal Pradesh, resulting in heavy damages to roads, buildings and water supply schemes.

The administration of Kullu, Shimla and Sirmaur districts has declared A holiday on 19 August owing to widespread damage to roads.

In Uttarakhand, three people were killed and 22 are reported missing following a cloudburst.

Finance Secretary Amit Negi, Inspector General (IG) Sanjay Gunjyal, and Uttarkashi District Magistrate (DM) Ashish Chauhan took stock of the situation in Uttarkashi’s Arakot following the cloud-burst in the region.

With the weather department predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall, a red alert has been issued in the state for the next 24 hours. All schools in the state will remain closed.