Yamuna continues to swell, 14,000 people evacuated

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Close to 14,000 people living in low-lying areas along the Yamuna in Delhi were evacuated till Tuesday noon as the river was flowing at 206.08 metres after crossing the danger mark.

The Yamuna breached the danger mark of 205.33m on Monday night and was expected to get more water by late Tuesday or early Wednesday from upstream in Haryana, a Flood Control Department official told IANS.

The water level was rising due to rains in northern India and discharge of water from Hathni Kund Barrage in Haryana.

"Water is being released from the barrage every hour," the official said, adding Haryana released 8.28 lakh cusecs of water on Sunday evening.

The water discharged from the barrage -- which provides drinking water to Delhi -- normally takes 72 hours to reach the capital, the official said.

Hundreds live along the banks of the Yamuna and they were being moved to safer places since Sunday.

"Till Tuesday, over 13,635 people from low-lying areas across the city have been shifted and the process is still on. More people will be shifted as we are expecting more water by late Tuesday night," the official added.

The Yamuna crossed the "warning mark" of 204.5m late on Sunday night and the process of shifting people started then.

On Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged people living in the floodplains to move to the tents set up by the Delhi Government.

The government has set up 46 relief camps with 2,120 tents having electricity, water, food and toilets.

Haryana releases water during monsoon. In 2013 it released 8.06 lakh cusecs of water, pushing up the Yamuna's level in Delhi to 207.3m.

"Considering the huge volume of water released on Sunday, Yamuna's water level may cross that mark this time," the official added.

Delhi witnessed the worst floods in 1978 when the river's level touched a record 207.49m.