Yamuna river surge halts India’s capital

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New Delhi: India’s army and disaster relief personnel are opening some jammed floodgates at a barrage on the swollen river Yamuna to help drain out floodwater that has brought life to a standstill in parts of India’s capital and inundated historical monuments.

Yamuna river’s levels was seen at their highest in 45 years this week following unusually heavy rainfall in New Delhi and hilly northern states, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people as the Yamuna breached its banks.

Army and disaster relief personnel were also trying to repair a broken drain regulator from where water was flowing onto a key road, authorities said.

“To prevent water from flowing into the city, we are trying to create a dam,” said Saurabh Bharadwaj, Delhi’s flood control and irrigation minister.