Yamuna remains above danger mark; Delhi requires flood forecasting system
New Delhi: The river Yamuna in the national capital continues to flow above the danger mark of 205.33 mtr even as the water level has declined since last week. Heavy downpour during 8-9 July, and subsequent rains in upper catchment areas led to the Yamuna swelling to record levels and flooding the city.
The river touched 208.66 mtr on 13 July, surpassing September 1978’s record of 207.49 mtr. Experts have said that Delhi needs a flood forecasting system.
“Rather than constraining the river, the government should explore ways to create space for the river to spread, and the easiest way is by de-silting the Yamuna and its tributaries and distributaries, especially around bridges, canals, and brooks," said Pushpendra Johari, SVP - Sustainability, RMSI. “Moreover, since Delhi is also prone to urban flooding, there is a need to implement a flood forecasting system to monitor the flood situation," Johari added.
Approximately 66% of India's population is exposed to extreme flood events. In total, 14 of 32 states and union territories that are exposed to floods are highly resilient due to availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of early warning system (EWS) and impact-based, people-centred, end-to-end multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS). While 72% of Indian districts are exposed to extreme flood events, only 25% of these exposed districts have level flood forecasting stations, a new report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) shows.
“Unlike other major cities that have conducted their risk assessment studies, Delhi is yet to conduct a multi-hazard risk assessment study as it is not just prone to floods but to earthquakes also. Such a study will generate the necessary data points to drive risk
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