25 Delhi trains cancelled as Yamuna rises to danger levels

Northern Railways has cancelled 25 trains and diverted 36 others due to the rising flood waters in the Yamuna. The trains diverted include Kalka Mail, Shaheed Express, Garib Nawaz Express, Awadh Assam Express, Shalimar Express and Brahmaputra Mail.

Several areas in east Delhi were flooded this morning as the water level in the Yamuna river continued to rise dangerously, threatening to submerge more low-lying areas.

The water level in the river rose to 206.60 metres, 177 cm above the danger mark of 204.83 metres, and is likely to go up further as neighbouring Haryana would release more water on Saturday in the river, a senior official of the flood control department said.

Haryana is expected to release 30,000 cusecs of water in to the Yamuna today. Authorities said the water level in the river is expected to rise to 206.85 metre by 2 pm.

However, the possibility of water level reaching a record high seemed to have been averted following an embankment breach at a village in Panipat district on Friday. The breach in Pathargarh, 14 km upstream of Mawi, delayed flow of water to the capital. The Yamuna is now expected to reach maximum height by Saturday evening.

Some low-lying areas near the river, including Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur Pusta, Jagatpur Village and Shastri Nagar, were inundated by the rising water.

Areas near the Inter State Bus Terminus were also flooded, prompting thousands of people to stake shelter in government relief camps and in higher areas. Many people living in low-lying areas along the banks of the river were seen lined up on the footpaths on the ITO bridge with whatever was left of their belongings.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday appealed to people not to panic and said precautionary measures are being put into place to meet any eventuality. ''There is no need to worry .... the situation is under control,'' she Dikshit had said.