Yamuna crosses danger mark; floods abate in Gujarat

The Delhi administration asked thousands of people living on Yamuna banks to shift to safer places as the swollen river crosses the danger level on Monday.

The flood control room said the river was flowing at 204.84 metres, just above the danger mark, and was expected to rise further by about two metres by Tuesday due to discharge of water from the Tajewala reservoir upstream.

Officials of the rehabilitation department said they were keeping a constant vigil and would shift the people living in low-lying areas along the embankment if they continued to stay put despite threat to their lives.

Though there has not been much rain within the city limits, the river has been rising due to heavy monsoon showers in the catchment areas, forcing release of water from reservoirs. About 400,000 cusecs of water was released from Tajewala on Sunday.

Meanwhile the flood condition in Gujarat seems to be abating, even as the death toll in the current monsoon rose to 233.

Officials sources said torrential rain and floods played havoc, affecting 1575 villages covering 56 talukas with a total population of 1.25 million.

The state government which opened up 142 relief camps, closed 116 camps as people began returning to their homes. Twentysix camps are still operational.

In all, 40,385 people were evacuated in the affected places. Out of this 34,767 people have returned. Rs 2.46 million have been disbursed to 12872 families affected by the floods.

The flood and rains have destroyed 1,020 makeshift shanties, 20 concrete houses and 3,005 huts, a damage of Rs 6 million, sources said, adding that 800 heads of cattle had also perished.

National Highway 8, which was closed between Ahmedabad and Baroda due to flooding of the river Vatrak, has been opened the normal traffic has been restored.

UNI