Heavy Rains in Delhi Cause Yamuna River to Flood, Taj Mahal Walls Touch Floodwaters after 45 Years
New Delhi: Heavy rains in Delhi have led to the Yamuna river flooding once again, with floodwaters reaching the walls of the iconic Taj Mahal for the first time in 45 years.
Over the past week, northern states including Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh have been experiencing relentless downpours. As a result, the Ganga and Yamuna rivers have overflowed their banks, surpassing the danger level. Last night, Delhi witnessed heavy rainfall exacerbating the situation.
The water level in the Yamuna river rose to 206.01 meters, surpassing the danger level, after reaching 205.45 meters yesterday morning. Notably, despite the drop in water level, the flood in the river did not subside. The authorities have issued a flood warning as the floodwaters continue to breach both banks.
In a significant development, the floodwaters of the Yamuna River have reached the walls of the Taj Mahal for the first time since 1978. The river had previously flooded during heavy rains, causing the floodwaters to touch the walls of the iconic monument. Now, after a gap of 45 years, the Taj Mahal is once again facing the threat of flooding.
Photographs circulating on social media depict the Yamuna river flooding the park within the Taj Mahal complex.
Prince Vajpayee, assistant security officer of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), assured that the construction of the Taj Mahal is designed to prevent water from entering, even during a large flood in the Yamuna river. The structure is specifically built to withstand such situations.
However, as a precautionary measure, barricades have been set up near the Kailash temple and the Dussehra padi sector to prevent floodwaters from entering. The authorities are also taking steps to safeguard Agra from the floods. Floodwater has been accumulating on the Yamuna Kinara Road leading to the Taj Mahal, and officials are working to drain the flooded areas.
To mitigate further flooding, water releases from the Okhla dam and the Gokul dam in Mathura have been increased to 1,06,473 cubic feet per second and 1,24,302 cubic feet per second, respectively.
The situation remains critical as heavy rainfall continues to batter the region. The authorities are keeping a close eye on the water levels and are actively engaged in flood management efforts to minimize the damage caused by the floods.