District administration issues alert in Noida after Yamuna level rises about 2 metres
BK Sharma, executive engineer, head works division, Agra Canal-Okhla, irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh, said, “The danger mark for the Yamuna at Okhla Barrage is 200.6 metres. The upstream level has reached 200 metres on Wednesday.”
- Jul 13, 2023,
- Updated Jul 13, 2023 7:40 PM IST
On Wednesday, the waters level in the Yamuna River rose by 1.85 metres at the Okhla Barrage in Noida, which brings the water level just 0.75 metres short of the danger level, said irrigation department officials. This is a result of constant water logging due to heavy rains in the Delhi NCR region.
According to the irrigation department’s officials, the downstream level of the Yamuna at the Okhla Barrage was recorded at 199.85m at 5 pm Wednesday, which is 1.85m higher than Tuesday’s level recorded at the same time.
BK Sharma, executive engineer, head works division, Agra Canal-Okhla, irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh, said, “The danger mark for the Yamuna at Okhla Barrage is 200.6 metres. The upstream level has reached 200 metres on Wednesday, while on Tuesday, it was recorded at 199.20m. We have not issued any alert for villages located near the riverbanks as yet because the river level is still below danger level. However, we are keeping a constant watch on developments and are coordinating with the district administration.”
He further added that at 5 pm on Wednesday, the Okhla Barrage recorded 179,000 cusecs water discharge, which is 137,000 cusecs higher than that on Tuesday.
Also watch: 2023 North India flood-affected states: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana
The district magistrate on Wednesday said the Gautam Budh Nagar administration issued an alert for all villages that are located near the floodplains.
“The district administration has identified over 50 villages in Gautam Budh Nagar that are located along the Yamuna banks or near the floodplains. An alert has been issued to all these villages that have an approximate population of 50,000, asking people to move to safer areas before the river level breaches the danger mark at the Okhla Barrage,” said Manish Verma, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.
He added that a flood control room has been set up for support.
“Residents do not have to panic and must contact the control room in case they need rehabilitation while moving to safer places. The subdivisional magistrates have been directed to ensure that villagers are provided with alternative options to move from their homes in case they decide to do so,” said Verma.
However, so far, no evacuation drive is being planned by the administration, he added.
Meanwhile, the official said that the district fire department rescued over 300 cattle from several private cowsheds located on the floodplains in Chaprauli and Mangrauli villages of Sector 168 in Noida.
Pradeep Kumar Chaubey, chief fire officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “We received information around 3 pm that the river has submerged the floodplains where cowsheds are located, and the cattle of several farmers needed to be rescued. Rescue teams were deployed immediately, and after a six-hour long operation, 300 cows and calves were rescued from the floodplains.”
Verma also said that the administration is constantly keeping track of rescue operations.
“The Yamuna waters only submerged the outskirts of the residential areas of the villages. None of the houses in any of the villages has been flooded,” said the DM.
Verma further said that currently, the major concern for the administration is to ensure that there is no loss of life.
“An estimate of crops destroyed by flooding will be drawn up by the government once the river water recedes. Currently, we cannot stop the river from swelling and can only advise residents to ensure that they move to higher ground if they feel that the river could flood their homes,” said Verma.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, the Yamuna water level rose to 208.48 meters on Thursday morning, a day after breaking the all-time high record of 207.49 meters, which was recorded in 1978. The water level is currently flowing 3 metres above the danger mark and has started to move in the city.
On Wednesday, the waters level in the Yamuna River rose by 1.85 metres at the Okhla Barrage in Noida, which brings the water level just 0.75 metres short of the danger level, said irrigation department officials. This is a result of constant water logging due to heavy rains in the Delhi NCR region.
According to the irrigation department’s officials, the downstream level of the Yamuna at the Okhla Barrage was recorded at 199.85m at 5 pm Wednesday, which is 1.85m higher than Tuesday’s level recorded at the same time.
BK Sharma, executive engineer, head works division, Agra Canal-Okhla, irrigation department, Uttar Pradesh, said, “The danger mark for the Yamuna at Okhla Barrage is 200.6 metres. The upstream level has reached 200 metres on Wednesday, while on Tuesday, it was recorded at 199.20m. We have not issued any alert for villages located near the riverbanks as yet because the river level is still below danger level. However, we are keeping a constant watch on developments and are coordinating with the district administration.”
He further added that at 5 pm on Wednesday, the Okhla Barrage recorded 179,000 cusecs water discharge, which is 137,000 cusecs higher than that on Tuesday.
Also watch: 2023 North India flood-affected states: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana
The district magistrate on Wednesday said the Gautam Budh Nagar administration issued an alert for all villages that are located near the floodplains.
“The district administration has identified over 50 villages in Gautam Budh Nagar that are located along the Yamuna banks or near the floodplains. An alert has been issued to all these villages that have an approximate population of 50,000, asking people to move to safer areas before the river level breaches the danger mark at the Okhla Barrage,” said Manish Verma, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.
He added that a flood control room has been set up for support.
“Residents do not have to panic and must contact the control room in case they need rehabilitation while moving to safer places. The subdivisional magistrates have been directed to ensure that villagers are provided with alternative options to move from their homes in case they decide to do so,” said Verma.
However, so far, no evacuation drive is being planned by the administration, he added.
Meanwhile, the official said that the district fire department rescued over 300 cattle from several private cowsheds located on the floodplains in Chaprauli and Mangrauli villages of Sector 168 in Noida.
Pradeep Kumar Chaubey, chief fire officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “We received information around 3 pm that the river has submerged the floodplains where cowsheds are located, and the cattle of several farmers needed to be rescued. Rescue teams were deployed immediately, and after a six-hour long operation, 300 cows and calves were rescued from the floodplains.”
Verma also said that the administration is constantly keeping track of rescue operations.
“The Yamuna waters only submerged the outskirts of the residential areas of the villages. None of the houses in any of the villages has been flooded,” said the DM.
Verma further said that currently, the major concern for the administration is to ensure that there is no loss of life.
“An estimate of crops destroyed by flooding will be drawn up by the government once the river water recedes. Currently, we cannot stop the river from swelling and can only advise residents to ensure that they move to higher ground if they feel that the river could flood their homes,” said Verma.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, the Yamuna water level rose to 208.48 meters on Thursday morning, a day after breaking the all-time high record of 207.49 meters, which was recorded in 1978. The water level is currently flowing 3 metres above the danger mark and has started to move in the city.