Overview

• The Yamuna measured about 204.8 m at the Old Railway Bridge, exceeding the warning level and forecast to hit 206 m by early August 19.
• Hathnikund Barrage gates were fully opened on August 17–18, sending peak flows of up to 1.78 lakh cusecs downstream, the highest discharge this monsoon.
• Central Water Commission, Delhi’s Irrigation and Flood Control Department, NDMA, NDRF and local civic bodies have been instructed to monitor embankments, prepare sector officers and pre-position evacuation assets.
• Upstream districts in Haryana, including Yamunanagar and Karnal, are already reporting local flooding and embankment breaches, underscoring basin-wide flood risks.
• Officials say water released from Hathnikund takes roughly 48–50 hours to reach Delhi, defining the critical window for downstream preparations.