Floodwaters of the Yamuna yesterday swamped the homes of people living on the banks of the swollen river prompting many to go back to their villages.
Authorities also shifted around 14,000 people to relief camps.
As monsoon rains pounded the upper reaches, neighbouring Haryana released water from the Hathini Kund dam flooding the homes of those living near the Yamuna’s banks. The water has been steadily rising since Sunday.
Those who have chosen to stay in relief camps are struggling with shifting whatever is left of their belongings to the temporary government shelters.
Several small farmers said they have lost all hopes of earning a livelihood with the rising Yamuna waters destroying their crops.
Devendra Kashyap told IANS that around 200 farmers of the area are dependent on farming.
“There are many families who are dependent on only farming. Now due to the water level rise in Yamuna they have lost their standing green vegetables,” said Kashyap.
According to a Delhi government official, close to 14,000 people living in low-lying areas along the Yamuna in Delhi were evacuated yesterday as the river flows at 206.08m and has crossed the danger mark.
The Yamuna is expected to get more water early today, a Flood and Control Department official said.
The Delhi government has set up 46 relief camps with 2,120 tents having electricity, water, food and toilets across the city.
Several people living in the area have also refused to move to relief camps set up by the Delhi government.
An official told IANS that people are coming to relief camps but after having their meals return to their houses which are half-submerged.
“We vacated our houses after the authorities told us about the situation. I had been living for the last five years near Old Yamuna Bridge. Due to the sudden rise of the water level we have lost many things in our home which we made with our hard-earned money,” Vikram Singh, a farmer, told IANS.
The water discharged from the barrage – which provides drinking water to Delhi – normally takes 72 hours to reach the capital, the official said.
Hundreds live along the banks of the Yamuna, and they are being moved to safer places.
On Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged people living in the floodplains to move to the tents set up by the Delhi government.
Delhi witnessed the worst floods in 1978 when the Yamuna river’s level touched a record 207.49m.

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