The Yamuna is currently flowing in its ferocious form, and the water has caused immense devastation in the Khadar region. For several days, the administration had been warning people to vacate the area, but residents were unwilling to leave their homes.
Delhi Flood Alert: Delhi is currently grappling with the surge of the Yamuna River. The continuously rising water level has submerged several areas of the capital. Thousands of people have been displaced, while relief and rescue operations are underway on a war footing. Administration and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams are continuously evacuating people from affected areas to safer locations.
Water Reaches Delhi Secretariat, Thousands Displaced
The water level of the Yamuna has risen so high that it has reached the Delhi Secretariat. Many low-lying areas are completely inundated. Areas like Badarpur Khadar, Garhi Mandu, Old Usmanpur, Monastery, Yamuna Bazar, Vishwakarma Colony, and Pradhan Garden are completely submerged. Over 15,000 people have been moved to relief camps. However, the number of relief camps is significantly less compared to the affected population. Many people are forced to live on the roadsides, dividers, and footpaths, using tarpaulin sheets.
Omveer, a villager from Garhi Mandu village, and Santosh Sharma, a trader passing through the Khadar area, have gone missing after being swept away by the water. NDRF teams are engaged in searching for both individuals. Meanwhile, the Boat Club team has rescued over 100 people safely.
Major Problem of Traffic Jams and Waterlogging
The administration had appealed to people to vacate the Khadar area several days ago. Despite this, many people were reluctant to leave their homes. Early on Wednesday morning, when water flooded their homes and their lives were at risk, people pleaded for help from the administration. To save their children, many families used thermocol sheets as makeshift boats and evacuated them. Meanwhile, a woman was seen cooking food under an umbrella by the roadside in the rain.
Severe traffic jams have occurred due to waterlogging near Kashmiri Gate Bus Stand and Ring Road. Vehicles are moving at a snail's pace. People flocked to picnic spots like Signature Bridge and Wazirabad Pushta Road to witness the changed form of the Yamuna.
With the rise in water levels, the threat of snakes and other wild animals has also increased. Several snakes have been spotted in Usmanpur, Garhi Mandu, and Sonia Vihar. The administration has advised people staying in relief camps to be cautious of wild animals. Nilgai (blue bulls) have also been seen in the Sonia Vihar area, which are not usually visible on normal days.
LG's Projects Also Submerged
Over twenty-five hundred cattle are also in distress in the affected areas. More than 2100 buffaloes are trapped in Usmanpur and Garhi Mandu villages, and approximately 400 cows are stranded in an illegal cow shelter near Old Lohepul. Roads have become slippery due to cow dung at various places, causing difficulties for people to move around. The administration lacks adequate arrangements to shelter such a large number of cattle safely.
Several projects constructed by the Delhi Government and DDA (Delhi Development Authority) along the Yamuna riverbank have also been submerged. Asita East Park, which was developed during the G-20 summit, is completely underwater. A hot air balloon plan was scheduled here, but it has now been postponed.
