Yamuna River hits a record water level of 208.48m in Delhi; Capital's Secretariat marooned by waterlogging

As the Yamuna water level rises, the Delhi Secretariat housing offices of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet and other senior bureaucrats, was flooded on Thursday, July 13.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) declared that the water level of the Yamuna river in Delhi surged to a record 208.48 metres at 8 am and is likely to rise to 208.75 metres by 4 pm.

According to officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), they received information regarding flooding of the Delhi Secretariat. They said they are coordinating with the traffic police and other agencies on the situation. The road from Rajghat to Delhi Secretariat was also flooded.

Officials said the Ring Road stretch between Kashmere Gate and Purana Lohe Ka Pul has been flooded and closed for traffic movement.

An order by the District Magistrate (East) said Shamshan Ghat in Geeta Colony has been closed due to the extreme rise in water levels.

Meanwhile, water from the overflowing Yamuna river reached ITO, a key route to commute from east Delhi to central Delhi and Connaught Place. Apart from this, areas like Boat Colony, Geeta Colony, some parts of Gandhi Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Pandav Nagar were also inundated.

Announcements for evacuating people are being made at various locations in the city.

Additionally, on Thursday, CM Kejriwal announced closure of schools in areas inundated with floodwater.

"All government and private schools are being closed in areas of Delhi where water is filling up," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

The river exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres Monday, July 10, night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations, and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic.

The water level further breached the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres by 1 pm on Wednesday, July 12, and the 208-metre mark by 10 pm.

With PTI inputs