Delhi schools and colleges shut till Sunday amid flooding, WFH order for offices

Digital Desk: With the Yamuna River at an all-time high of 208.6 metres, Delhi is currently on high flood alert. Evacuation precautions are necessary since the overflowing river has flooded low-lying areas. Due to the closure of three water treatment facilities because of flooding, the city may also have a drinking water issue.

Due to the anticipated increase in water flow into the Yamuna by 3–4 pm today, the Central Water Commission has called it as an "extreme situation."

The Yamuna has risen to a staggering 208.6 metres, prompting the government to decide to extend the closure of non-essential government buildings, institutions of higher learning, and businesses until Sunday, July 16. Additionally, it has been strongly recommended that privately owned companies institute work-from-home practices during this time.

In addition, establishments near Kashmere Gate have been instructed to suspend operations till Sunday.

In terms of transportation, buses headed for the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) will temporarily be rerouted to the Singhu Border. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) would run extra buses to transport passengers to their destinations.

The efforts to reduce the water levels are ongoing, according to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and restoration work will start in two days. Particularly noteworthy was Thursday's flooding at the Delhi Secretariat, which houses the offices of Kejriwal, his cabinet, and other senior bureaucrats.

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As three water treatment facilities—in Wazirabad, Chandrawal, and Okhla—were forced to close owing to flooding, Delhi may also experience a drinking water shortage. As the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana continued to release water into the river, Yamuna's water level was 208.6 metres at 1 PM today.

Following a crisis meeting yesterday, Arvind Kejriwal announced that the government is evacuating regions that are underwater and asked for the public's assistance. The National Disaster Response Force has as many as 12 teams working as rescuers right now.

In order to prevent the entry of floodwater in case Yamuna's water level rises further, around 16,500 residents in low-lying districts have already been relocated to safer locations at higher altitudes. Additionally, embankments are being built in low-lying areas.

Dakpathar in Uttarakhand and Hathnikund in Haryana, upstream of Delhi, are the two main barrages on the Yamuna. The river has no dams, therefore the majority of the monsoon flow is wasted, which causes floods throughout the rainy season.

The weekend's significant precipitation in Delhi and the adjacent regions, along with ongoing rain in the upper catchment areas, have all contributed to the rapid rise in water levels.

The water flow from the Haryana barrage is anticipated to begin decreasing at around 2:00 PM today, but India Meteorological Department has forecast that Uttarakhand will continue to experience heavy to extremely heavy rains over the following two days, increasing the risk of floods.