Don’t take selfies or swim in flooded areas, flood threat not over yet: Kejriwal to Delhiites

PTI, Jul 15, 2023, 12:17 PM IST

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday appealed to people of the city not to take selfies or swim in flooded areas as it could be fatal and said the threat of floods was not over yet.

His appeal came a day after three boys drowned in a ditch while bathing in floodwaters in northwest Delhi’s Mukundpur Chowk area.

”Reports are coming from several places that some people are going to play or swim or take selfies or shoot videos in waterlogged places. Please do not do this. It can be fatal. The threat of flood is not over yet. The flow of water is very strong and the water level can rise anytime,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

Tagging a PTI video of children playing in floodwaters at Shanti Van, he said, ”I urge everyone to avoid this.” Parts of Delhi have been inundated after the Yamuna in the city breached its banks following days of heavy rains in its upper catchment areas, prompting the evacuation of thousands from low-lying areas.

After rising continuously for three days, the water level in the Yamuna started receding on Friday.

The water level had come down to 207.48 metres by 10 am on Saturday from its peak of 208.66 metres at 8 pm on Thursday.

However, it is still over two metres above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

The breach at the Indraprastha regulator that flooded the area near ITO and parts of the Ring Road was sealed. The Delhi Traffic Police has allowed the movement of cars, autorickshaws and other light vehicles on both carriageways of the Ring Road from Shanti Van to Geeta Colony.

However, the road from Shanti Van to Rajghat and towards ISBT is still closed.