Hundreds evacuated as Yamuna floods Delhi

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated in the Indian capital Delhi as the water level of the Yamuna River continues to rise.

According to NDTV, the water level in the Yamuna River was flowing three metres above the danger mark at the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana on Thursday morning.

Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had urged the centre to step in and stop the water discharge from the barrage, but the centre replied that excess water from the barrage had to be released.

After the discharge, the water reached Delhi earlier than anticipated, flooding homes and roads and prompting emergency measures.

Although Delhi has not received heavy rain in the past couple of days, the spate in Yamuna due to the discharge from Haryana has led to immense hardships for people living near the river.

Many people have had to vacate their homes after water gushed in. Thousands have been evacuated and gathering banned in vulnerable areas in light of the flood situation.

People living in makeshift houses next to the river moved to some of the 2,500 relief camps set up in the city, Reuters reports.

"The water level is continuing to rise and there is a flood-like situation," Kejriwal told reporters, adding that water levels were "likely to rise further."

NDTV reports that the flood water has reached near the residence of Chief Minister Kejriwal and the Delhi Assembly.

However, the water flow from the barrage is expected to start dropping 2pm onwards on Thursday, India's Central Water Commission has said.

As many as 12 teams of the National Disaster Response Force are on the ground for rescue work.

/KN/