Delhi Flood Alert: Yamuna Water Level Rises, IMD Warns of Heavy Rain from Haryana to Kerala

Delhi Flood Alert: Yamuna’s water level in Delhi shoots up by 2 metres in 24 hours, inches close to warning level The water level of Yamuna River in Delhi rose sharply between Tuesday and Wednesday and came very close to the official warning level of 204.5 metres. According to Central Water Commission (CWC), the river reached 204.13 metres by 5 pm on Wednesday and then dipped slightly to 204.08 metres by 6 pm.

On Tuesday, the water level was 202.24 metres by 5 pm. So in just 24 hours, the river level rose by nearly two metres.

#WATCH | Delhi: Water level of River Yamuna rises following the rainfall in the city.

(Earlier visuals)

As per a 4 pm update today (23rd July), Yamuna flowing at 204.13 mtrs at Old Delhi Bridge. pic.twitter.com/yJMGPM5H09

— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2025

This sudden rise was triggered by the release of water from Hathnikund barrage in Haryana. The barrage released over 50,000 cusecs of water late on Monday night, the first time this season. Experts say this inflow takes around 48 hours to reach Delhi, so more increases in Yamuna’s level are expected by Thursday.

With the rising water level, the Delhi government has decided to formally request the Haryana government to hand over the ITO barrage on Yamuna River to the city to manage the flood. "While the gates at the barrage have been repaired to prevent any flood-like situation like in 2023, and we are monitoring it, we will also be requesting Haryana to hand over," a government official said.

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During 2023 flood in the city, one of the major reasons was the presence of several dysfunctional gates at the barrage which hindered the smooth release of excess water and worsened the flooding situation.

In the past too, the Delhi government has written to the neighbouring government to hand over the critical barrage.

ITO barrage is closest to the areas which get flooded often and malfunctioning of the five gates of the barrage due to heavy silting has been one of the major reasons, said an official. "As these gates on the east end of the barrage could not be opened at the peak water level of the Yamuna, the pressure was so high that the water started spilling onto areas, roads, and colonies situated along the river in the stretch between Wazirabad and ITO barrage," states an Irrigation and Flood Control department (I&FC) report on the flooding of 2023.

Meanwhile, a committee under Ministry of Jal Shakti had recommended earlier to revise the danger levels at Delhi Railway Bridge which were already revised a few years ago. But experts said the recommendation is like shifting the goalpost.

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Talking about the rising water levels of Yamuna, Bhim Singh Rawat, an activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, told PTI that, "these points relate to siltation and floodplain encroachment, raising the riverbed in Delhi.” He said that instead of increasing warning and danger levels, the government should first conduct a geomorphological study of the river's upper segment.

Last year despite heavy rainfall, Yamuna did not touch the warning level and the peak water level was recorded at 204.38 metres in late September. But this year the water level broke the records with a catastrophic flood and reached 208.66 metres. At that time areas like Mayur Vihar, ITO, Salimgarh bypass and Civil Lines were submerged and people were seen.

As per Delhi government’s flood control plan, the first warning is issued only when the discharge from Hathnikund barrage exceeds 1 lakh cusecs which is still far off.

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