Noida police issue flood alert to people on Yamuna floodplains, ask them to relocate

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Wednesday issued directives to residents living in low-lying and flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground in view of an expected rise in the level of river Yamuna owing to impending heavy rain forecast by the weather department in its catchment areas.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted a generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers for the next two days till July 12 in Noida and other parts of the National Capital Region.

According to Manish Mishra, additional deputy commissioner of police, the precautionary measure aims to ensure the safety of individuals and minimize potential risks associated with flooding.

“Relocating from vulnerable areas can help prevent casualties and property damage that often accompany severe weather conditions during the monsoon. In view of the inconvenience caused to the general public due to the rise in the water level of the Yamuna, as it happened last year, the police are coordinating with other departments concerned to move people and their essentials and livestock away from the floodplains,” said the ADCP.

Several villages of Noida are localed along the Yamuna and they were affected by floods last year after the Yamuna waters breached the danger mark of 200.6 metres at the Okhla barrage on July 13, 2023.

Officials said a total of 2,500 people and 600 livestock animals were successfully rescued from the floodplains in sectors 126, 135, 134, and 136. The affected villages included Raipur Khadar, Asgarpur, Wajidpur, Yakutpur, Safipur, Chuhadpur, Asgarpur, and Bakhtawarpur.

“In order to ensure that last year’s situation does not repeat, the people are being made aware about the alerts issued by the weather department and they have been asked to make arrangements to relocate to safer ground,” said the ADCP.