Delhi floods: Roads under water as Yamuna river has raised higher
Due to overflowing water from the Yamuna river, Delhi’s key roads have been flooded.
After reaching its highest level in more than 45 years on Wednesday, the river’s water level has been rising since then.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from nearby low-lying areas, and traffic has been diverted from arterial roads.
Officials in northern India report record rainfall so far this monsoon season, which began in June.
In Himachal Pradesh, 88 people have died since rains began late last month, while nearby Punjab and Haryana have also been flooded.
The water level of the Yamuna rose to 208.46 metres on Thursday morning, up from 207.49 metres the previous day.
Several low-lying areas and roads have been inundated by the swelling river. Cars and buses are shown submerged under water in social media videos.
According to local TV channels, a key road leading to Connaught Place, a popular business center in central Delhi, was also flooded, while the PTI news agency reported that the street outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home was flooded.
Kejriwal told reporters on Thursday that schools, colleges, and universities will be closed until Sunday. Government employees, except those providing essential services, can work from home.
Private offices are also being advised to work from home, he said.
As a result of the flood-like conditions, three water treatment plants in Delhi have been shut down. For a couple of days, people may face shortages of water due to Kejriwal’s water rationing plan.
All heavy vehicles, except those that provide essential services, have been prohibited from entering Delhi.
A total of 16,000 people have been relocated under flyovers to relief tents by the Delhi government.
Multiple disaster relief teams have been deployed and rescue efforts are underway in flooded areas.
According to Mr Kejriwal, on Wednesday he requested the federal government control the amount of water released from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana, which he said was causing the Yamuna to swell.
According to authorities, the flow of water from the barrage will begin subsiding by 14:00 IST (08.30 GMT) on Thursday.
On Thursday, the governor and Mr Kejriwal met with the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to discuss the flood situation.
Every year, monsoon rains are a lifeline for India, but they also cause deaths and damage to property.
As India experiences increasingly extreme weather, the unrelenting rains come just weeks after an extreme heat wave gripped much of the country.
Experts say climate change caused by global warming makes extreme rainfall more likely, but many factors contribute to flooding.