Yamuna in spate: Water released from Hathnikund barrage, Delhi on flood alert
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Yamunanagar: After nearly six weeks of calm, the Yamuna River surged into spate on Saturday following heavy rainfall in the hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In response, all 18 gates of the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district were opened for the first time this monsoon season, releasing a massive 1,78,896 cusecs of water downstream.
The discharge is expected to reach Delhi within 30–48 hours, raising the river's water level and posing a flood risk to low-lying areas.
Officials from the Haryana irrigation and water resources department (IWRD) sounded alert sirens before opening the gates and issued warnings to residents and farmers to stay away from riverbanks and move livestock to safer areas. The district administration and Delhi government have been informed of the situation.
R S Mittal, superintendent engineer at Haryana IWRD, Yamunanagar, said the heavy rainfall in the hilly catchment areas led to a sharp rise in water levels, necessitating the release. "This is the first time this season that all 18 gates of the Hathnikund barrage have been opened. Supply to canals has been stopped to manage the increased flow," he said.
According to official categorisation, a discharge of over one lakh cusecs is considered a low flood, 1.5 lakh cusecs a medium flood, and anything above 2.5 lakh cusecs a high flood.
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With the current release already exceeding the low flood mark, authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Water levels in the Yamuna rose steadily through Sunday morning. At 10 am, the flow was 74,304 cusecs, rising to 81,353 cusecs at 11 am, 91,985 cusecs at noon, and 1.16 lakh cusecs by 1 pm. By 3 pm, the discharge peaked at 1.78 lakh cusecs, according to IWRD officials.
Meanwhile, several other rivers and streams in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are also in spate. The Somb River, a Yamuna tributary with a capacity of 10,000 cusecs, is currently carrying over 23,000 cusecs, threatening villages in its catchment area. In Dhanaura village and nearby Haripur Khol, local streams have overflowed, raising fears of inundation. At Ranjitpur, the bridge connecting Haryana to Himachal Pradesh is under pressure as river water flows over it, causing concern among residents.
With monsoon rains continuing in the hills, authorities remain on high alert. Residents in vulnerable areas along the Yamuna have been cautioned about possible flooding as Delhi braces for rising river levels over the next two days.
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