Heavy rains continued to lash Delhi and the wider NCR region, including Gurugram and Noida, on Monday, with the forecast for September 2 pointing to no let-up. Instead, conditions may worsen, raising the spectre of flooding in the Yamuna. Here are the key updates:
Orange alert in place:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi for September 2. Monday’s downpour triggered traffic snarls across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. Flight schedules, road movement, and metro operations were also disrupted.
Flood threat from Yamuna:
Authorities are closely monitoring the Yamuna river, which could breach the danger mark by Tuesday following heavy water inflow from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana. Water released from the barrage takes about two days to reach Delhi, heightening flood risks in mid-Tuesday.
Bridge closed:
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority has ordered the closure of traffic on the Old Railway Bridge over the Yamuna from 5 pm on Tuesday, September 2.
Current water level:
At 5 pm on Monday, the Yamuna was at 204.94 metres near the Old Railway Bridge, just shy of the 205.33-metre danger level. Evacuations from floodplains and low-lying areas begin if the river touches 206 metres.
Government response:
Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma assured residents there was no need to panic, stressing that the government is on high alert with teams deployed on the ground to safeguard citizens.
Schools and offices shut in Gurugram:
With heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted, Gurugram authorities have ordered schools and offices to remain closed on September 2, advising work-from-home and online classes. In Delhi and Noida, no blanket orders were issued until Monday evening, though some private offices opted for remote work.
Noida prepares for floods:
Officials in Noida have also geared up for possible flooding. Sanjay Kumar Khatri, ACEO of Noida Authority, said the water release was “similar to the flood levels seen in 2023”. Around 800 cows were shifted from a 135-hectare gaushala to safer grounds. Public announcements urged residents of flood-prone areas to evacuate, while staff have been deployed to monitor and ensure safety.
Further north, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are also bracing for more heavy rain, according to the forecast. Over the past month, flooding has affected more than 1,000 villages across 10 districts in Punjab, leaving at least 29 people dead. In Chandigarh, officials inspected Sukhna Lake and other rain-hit areas to review the functioning of drainage systems.
