Around 2,000 people and over 700 cattles were rescued to safer locations after Yamuna's water overflowed into land along its banks in Noida and Greater Noida on Thursday, officials said, even as NDRF, SDRF and PAC personnel were engaged in relief operations.
Top administration and police officials, including District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, took to inflated boats as they waded through low-lying areas of the floodplains of Yamuna, which have been submerged, to review the situation.
“There is no need for the public to panic. Government officials are working round the clock to help anyone affected due to the floods in the low-lying regions. The next 48 hours are going to be critical as more water has been released in the Yamuna through Hathnikund Barrage. We are continuously monitoring the situation and have issued advisory and helpline for people,” DM Verma told PTI.
Earlier in the day, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration ordered that all schools up to class 12 will remain closed across Noida and Greater Noida on Friday on account of the Yamuna crossing the danger mark and chances of rain. The Yamuna crossed the danger mark of 200.60 metres downstream of Okhla Barrage around 11.45 am Thursday, according to the Irrigation Department.
According to officials, four shelters have been built in Noida's Sector 134, 135, and 136 to shift the affected families from low-lying regions due to the increased water level of Yamuna. While around 1,500 people from flood-affected villages have been moved to safer locations, about 300-400 were rescued, while more than 700 cattles were also moved to safety from submerged locations along Yamuna banks, the officials said.
Additional DM Atul Kumar said four NDRF, two SDRF and one PAC teams have been deployed for rescue work in the flood-affected villages near the Yamuna River, which are continuously rescuing and taking the affected families to safe places.
He said eight medical teams have been set up in the district for health-related services of the people of the affected families and a flood control room has also been set up in the district to help the general public. People can also get help in case of general flood disaster by contacting the control room number 01202974274, Kumar, who is the nodal officer for relief works, said.
