Double displacement

New Delhi: Using boats in some areas and wading through knee-deep water in others, NDRF personnel rescued people stranded in flooded regions, including some in relief camps that were inundated due to the rising Yamuna levels. At some places in Yamuna Bazar and Mayur Vihar Phase I, it was a double whammy for people. They had to leave their homes due to flooding and then shift to shelters at government schools after the tents were also inundated.

Visuals from the area showed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel wading through the Yamuna waters, using tractors and trolleys to move stranded residents and even cattle to safer places.

The NDRF has so far evacuated around 1,150 people since Tuesday, including children, women and the elderly, officials said. Abujam Bijoy Kumar Singh, Commandant of the 16th Battalion of NDRF, said, "Evacuation has been completed from Yamuna Bazar and other vulnerable pockets. The water level has now stabilised and, according to the forecast, it is expected to recede by tonight. Our four units have been working around the clock for the past two days. So far, we have rescued around 1,150 civilians, including women, children and elderly persons."

He said the biggest challenge was convincing families to leave their homes and belongings behind. Comparing the situation to 2023, when Delhi battled one of its worst floods, Singh said, "Compared to the 2023 floods, operations have been smoother this year, with residents extending greater cooperation. This time, people understood the gravity and supported us in the evacuation."

Yamuna floodwater caused massive traffic jams in several key stretches of the national capital on Thursday, bringing vehicular movement to a crawl at multiple points, including Kashmere Gate, Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and the Kalindi Kunj area.

The sudden inundation disrupted morning rush-hour traffic, leaving commuters stuck for long hours.

Several people took to social media and reported bumper-to-bumper traffic, saying that even short distances like two kilometres were taking hours to cover. Many said they had to leave their vehicles at home and shift to Delhi Metro to reach offices on time.