The Yamuna continued to remain well over the danger mark on Thursday, a day after its water level broke a 1978 record. Parts of north and east Delhi closer to the floodplains of the river were flooded due to heavy rains in northern India in recent days. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a slew of emergency measures even as a large number of people living in slums on the riverbank were facing a grim situation.

At the ‘Delhi Railway Bridge Site’, also known as the Iron Bridge, the water level was at 208.46 metres at noon, whereas the danger level is set at 205.33 m, according to the Central Water Commission. The level had reached 207.55 m on Wednesday afternoon.

Parts of north Delhi were facing flooding on Wednesday, and the situation was aggravated a day later, as more water was released from the Hathinikund barrage in Haryana – Delhi itself had no rains for the past couple of days. On Thursday, the floodwater kept rising in several neighbourhoods, especially near ISBT Kashmere Gate, Civil Lines, Rajghat, and along the ring road.

At least three water treatment plants were also affected, and the water supply in the capital is likely to be affected for at least a couple of days, Kejriwal said after visiting the Wazirabad water treatment plant.

The CM also chaired an emergency meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Later, he announced that schools, colleges and universities would remain closed till Sunday and government officers who are not needed on-site would work from home. Commercial vehicles not carrying essential goods would not be allowed to enter Delhi, and inter-state buses from the north would be stopped at the Singhu border point, as the there were traffic snarls in less affected areas.