Delhi floods: Yamuna crosses danger mark as Gurugram reels from record rain

The Yamuna has swelled to 207.43 meters at the Old Railway Bridge—its third-highest level since records began in 1963—forcing evacuations, flooding key roads, and slowing the capital to a crawl. The level is well above the 205.33-meter danger mark, and it puts this week’s surge behind only two major peaks: the 208.66 meters recorded during the July 2023 crisis and the 1978 high of 207.49 meters. For residents across river-adjacent neighborhoods and busy corridors, this has felt painfully familiar.

Large parts of the floodplain and several low-lying pockets are under water. The worst-hit zones include Ring Road stretches, Bela Road, Sonia Vihar, Civil Lines, Vishwakarma Colony, and Yamuna Bazar. Over 12,000 people have been moved out—some to tents, others to schools functioning as temporary shelters—as floodwater creeps into ground floors and roadside shops. City workers and volunteers have also driven cattle out of villages along the river. Nigambodh Ghat has suspended cremations because the river has spilled over its banks.

Roads central to daily commuting are partly unusable. Mathura Road, Krishna Menon Marg, Feroz Shah Kotla Road, and Arjangarh have sections that remain heavily waterlogged. Delhi Traffic Police flagged serious disruptions on the Outer Ring Road between Majnu Ka Tila and the Salimgarh Bypass as the Yamuna level rose, and diversions are active from Wazirabad–Signature Bridge and Chandgi Ram Akhada–IP College intersections. If your route normally clips the river, expect detours, slow-moving lines of cars, and long waits.

Air travel has been hit too. By 5 pm, flight tracking data showed around 273 departures and 73 arrivals delayed at Delhi airport. A key approach stretch near IGI stayed flooded for much of the day, causing spillover jams across Dwarka and parts of the Outer Ring Road. Airlines have advised travelers to factor in extra time, travel early, and keep a close eye on updated schedules.

What’s happening on the ground

Rescue and relief work has scaled up. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed more than a dozen teams across vulnerable pockets, using boats to access clusters that are cut off. Authorities have set up 38 relief camps in Yamuna Khadar, Mayur Vihar, and other affected zones where families are receiving food, water, and basic medical aid. The push is now two-fold: moving people out of danger and stabilizing daily essentials for those who cannot return home yet.

Gurugram has had its own crisis moment. After more than 100 mm of rain fell in a single day, the District Disaster Management Authority advised residents to avoid non-essential travel. Drains overflowed at several points and large stretches stayed submerged through the morning rush. Schools have shifted to online classes until the water recedes, a step that mirrors last year’s response to intense cloudbursts and urban flooding in the city’s newer sectors.

The weather bureau raised early alarms and has since pared them back as the immediate deluge eased. The India Meteorological Department moved from red/orange alerts to a yellow alert, citing persistent showers but lower intensities. Winds from the southeast have held around 15 kmph, gusting up to 30 kmph in the past 24 hours. Temperatures dipped below normal: the maximum at 32.3 degrees Celsius (1.8°C below average) and the minimum at 22.8 degrees Celsius (2.8°C below average)—a small relief in the humidity.

Forecasts point to more intermittent rain. IMD expects rainy conditions to continue until September 7, with generally cloudy skies lingering to September 9. Light rain or thunderstorms are likely on Thursday, followed by moderate rainfall at isolated spots on Friday. That may not sound dramatic, but after a soaking stretch and an already swollen river, even moderate bursts can prolong waterlogging, trigger fresh seepage, and slow the drop in river levels.

City schedules will also be affected by the holiday calendar. Schools and government offices will be shut for Milad-un-Nabi (Id-e-Milad) on Friday, September 5, 2025. Many private institutions are expected to remain closed too. For families already managing flood-related disruptions—from commutes to classes—this closure may help reduce traffic but it also means rescheduling errands and appointments around a long weekend of unstable weather.

One unexpected positive: air quality improved. With the rain washing out suspended particles, the Air Quality Index came in at 57—firmly in the “satisfactory” band, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. This drop in pollution is usually short-lived during the monsoon break between spells, but for now, the city is breathing easier.

Behind the scenes, the administration is watching three variables: how much more rain falls in the city and its suburbs, the rate of upstream inflows from the Yamuna basin, and how quickly water can be pumped or drained out of critical underpasses and stretches with poor slope. When all three trend poorly, low-lying areas flood fast. That is why advisories keep telling people to move vehicles to higher ground and not to risk driving into waterlogged sections where manholes may be open or roads undermined.

To understand this week’s surge, it helps to separate two kinds of flooding Delhi sees. One is riverine flooding when the Yamuna breaches warning marks and spills into the floodplain, hitting pockets like Yamuna Bazar and areas along Ring Road. The other is urban flooding: intense rain overwhelms drains, water backs up at underpasses, and neighborhoods with poor outflows become bowls that fill up fast. During large monsoon spells, both can hit at once.

The Yamuna’s current level is a reminder of how quickly conditions can change. The all-time record in July 2023 stressed embankments and swamped stretches that hadn’t seen such water in decades. While today’s level is lower than last year’s extreme, it is high enough to cut off river-adjacent roads and force evacuations. Teams are keeping an eye on embankments, culverts, and weaker points where erosion can eat away the base as water rubs against the edges for days.

Across the NCR, the human footprint has also expanded into places that were once seasonal catchments or wetlands. That means less ground to soak up sudden downpours, more concrete that sends water running off into already narrow drains, and faster accumulation on roads. Gurugram shows this clearly: large paved surfaces, rapid real estate growth, and storm drains that struggle when a cloudburst piles up over one or two hours.

For many families along the floodplain, this year’s rains have brought familiar routines back: packing documents into plastic sleeves, lifting appliances onto bricks, unplugging power strips, and keeping a bag ready in case evacuation tents appear by evening. Relief camps remain the lifeline—dry cots, cooked meals, charging points, and a space where children can sleep. Health teams in such camps usually watch for dehydration, water-borne illnesses, and small injuries from wading through murky water that hides debris.

The city’s emergency response follows a pattern now well-rehearsed. First comes the warning about the danger mark and evacuation advisories for low-lying clusters. Then barricades go up on at-risk roads and traffic is pushed to higher, longer detours. Pumps are moved to hotspots, generators stand by in case of power disruptions, and teams start moving door to door to persuade reluctant residents to leave. Once water starts to recede, the clean-up begins: disinfecting flooded streets, clearing silt, and opening lanes in stages.

What makes the present spell awkward is the mix of medium-duration rain, saturated ground, and a swollen river. You do not need a cloudburst for a bad day; two steady days can add up to the same trouble. The IMD’s shift to a yellow alert signals lower risk compared to the week’s heaviest hours, but not a quick return to normal. With the Yamuna perched so close to last year’s memories, caution remains the watchword.

What to expect next and how to stay safe

Authorities expect scattered showers to keep some pockets wet through the week. That means waterlogged stretches may drain slowly, and some detours could stay in place. If you live or work near the floodplain, keep supplies ready and watch for official messages—especially instructions to move cars, shut off mains, or shift to camps.

• Avoid driving through waterlogged underpasses and dips. Even knee-deep water can hide open manholes or a broken road edge.
• Do not step into fast-moving water near the river. Currents strengthen near bends and at culverts.
• Move vehicles to higher ground before nightfall if your lane floods during heavy spells.
• Keep a small grab-bag: IDs, medicines, a torch, phone charger, power bank, and a bottle of clean water.
• Turn off electricity at the mains if water enters your home. Do not touch wet switches or exposed wires.
• Drink boiled or filtered water until supply lines are cleared. Watch for signs of contamination.
• Track advisories from IMD, DDMA, and Delhi Traffic Police for route diversions and school schedules.

Public transport often rebounds faster than cars in these spells. If the roads you use keep getting shut during peak hours, consider starting earlier or switching to a route that stays on higher ground for longer. Employers, especially in central and south Delhi and in Gurugram’s business hubs, are nudging teams to work from home where possible while clean-up continues.

Friday’s Milad-un-Nabi holiday will thin out commuter traffic, which may help drainage teams move pumps and equipment into tight spots. It also gives families time to plan around weather windows—getting essentials done when rain eases and avoiding trips when the next band of showers rolls in.

Even as the city waits for the Yamuna to fall decisively below the danger mark, the week has already delivered a few clear takeaways. Early alerts helped move thousands out of harm’s way. The relief grid—boats, camps, and rosters—kicked in faster, building on last year’s painful lessons. At the same time, the weak links have not changed: underpasses that flood repeatedly, neighborhoods at the bottom of shallow gradients, and drains that choke under a burst of stormwater mixed with silt and trash.

For the moment, the priority is simple: keep people safe, keep essential services running, and let the river inch down. Until then, drive carefully, stick to official guidance, and give yourself time. The city has been here before. It gets through by moving together—methodically, not heroically—one soaked day at a time.

Keyword focus for this story: Delhi floods.

Key facts at a glance:

• Yamuna level: 207.43 m at Old Railway Bridge (danger mark: 205.33 m).
• Evacuations: Over 12,000 people moved from low-lying areas; 38 relief camps active.
• Traffic: Major waterlogging on Mathura Road, Krishna Menon Marg, Feroz Shah Kotla Road, Arjangarh; diversions near Signature Bridge and IP College.
• Flights: About 273 departures and 73 arrivals delayed as of 5 pm; flooding near IGI approach roads.
• Gurugram: 100+ mm rain in 24 hours; schools moved online; widespread waterlogging.
• Weather: Yellow alert in force; more rain through September 7; cloudy to September 9.
• Temperatures: Max 32.3°C, Min 22.8°C; southeasterly winds 15–30 kmph.
• Air quality: AQI at 57 (“satisfactory”) after washout.
• Holiday: Milad-un-Nabi on Friday, September 5, 2025; schools and government offices closed.