NEW DELHI: The Yamuna River, which had shattered records by reaching a historic height of 208.66 meters in recent days, is now gradually receding to its normal level. According to the official data from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 207.98 meters as of 11 PM on Friday.

The CWC's latest forecast, issued on July 14 at 11:30 AM, indicated that the water level at the Old Railway Bridge would likely reach 208.05 meters on July 14, between 10:00 PM and 12:00 AM. However, it is expected to decrease thereafter, bringing some relief.

Although hopes were high for improved conditions in flood-affected Delhi with the reduction in Yamuna's water level, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city today. The IMD predicts moderate rainfall in Delhi over the next 4-5 days, potentially hampering the recovery process.

As of Friday, 9 PM, the water level of the Yamuna river stood at 208.07 meters, slightly exceeding the expectations of the Central Water Commission. The water level declined at a faster pace than anticipated, catching authorities by surprise.

According to Atishi, the Minister of the Delhi Public Works Department, the water level of the Yamuna is gradually receding at a rate of 0.1 meters per day. It is estimated that it will take approximately one day for the situation to normalize and return to normalcy.

In response to the severe flooding, a total of 25,478 individuals have been successfully evacuated thus far, with 22,803 people currently residing in tents and shelters.

The Delhi government stated, "Sixteen teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in flood-affected districts to carry out rescue operations. Several low-lying areas in Delhi have experienced flooding due to the significantly high river water levels, resulting in breaches in embankments and backflow of water."

To facilitate the evacuation process, a fleet of 45 boats, including 17 from the Boat Club and 28 from the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, has been actively engaged in rescue operations throughout Delhi.

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