Topline
Flood waters in India’s capital city of Delhi have poured into homes, three water treatment plants have closed and evacuations have been ordered as torrential rains push the Yamuna river to record-breaking levels and flood Delhi’s streets.
People wade through a flooded street along with their domesticated animals after the Yamuna River … [+]
Key Facts
The Yamuna, which runs through India’s capital, reportedly broke its second water-level record in 24 hours Thursday as it swelled to 208 meters (684 feet), after downpours contributed to a monsoon season that has killed nearly 100 people and uprooted millions more.
Schools in the capital region of Delhi have been shuttered and turned into disaster relief areas, major roads are closed, government officials have ordered the evacuation of tens of thousands and hundreds of people and cattle have been rescued, according to the BBC.
As much as 25% of the region’s drinking water supply will be impacted by the storms and shutdown of treatment plants, the New York Times reported.
At least 91 people have died in six northern Indian states since the start of monsoon season, with the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh facing at least 45 deaths in the last five days, the New York Times said.
Delhi Fire Service personnel help residents climb onto a flyover after being displaced by the rising … [+]
Residents move their belongings to higher ground at Khadda Gaon in Jaitpur village as flood water … [+]
Key Background
India’s monsoon season causes deaths and property damage yearly, and scientists say climate change is to blame for more erratic weather patterns, harsher landslides and flash floods. The intense rains follow an extreme heat wave that a district health official said killed dozens, according to the BBC. Thousands of acres of crops and millions of dollars in property damage have been reported in Himachal Pradesh, and tens of thousands of people have been stranded for days in the state of Uttarakhand.
Tangent
Minster Arvind Kejriwal has blamed the flooding on the federal government for releasing water from an irrigation facility upstream from Delhi. The government said it had no choice because heavy rain pushed the facility over capacity, according to the New York Times
People carry bulls to safety as they wade through the flooded waters of Yamuna River after heavy … [+]
A man carries a dog to a safer place after the river Yamuna overflowed due to heavy monsoon rains in … [+]
Big Number
45 years. That’s how long the previous high-water record of the Yamuna, 681 feet, held. That record was broken Thursday after a day of rising waters.
People pull their motorcycle from a flooded street after the Yamuna river flooded in New Delhi … [+]
Further Reading
Evacuations Ordered in Delhi (New York Times)
Delhi floods: Key roads under water as Yamuna river swells (BBC)