Climate Change Gets Real! Yamuna Recedes, Thousands Return To Destroyed Homes, Silt
Yamuna Floods: Families Battle Silt and Uncertainty as River Recedes
As the Yamuna River recedes, thousands of flood-affected families in Delhi face a daunting challenge: clearing thick layers of silt from their homes before they can return.
The river, which hit a seasonal peak of 207.48 meters last Thursday, dropped to 205.22 meters by 2 PM Monday, just below the danger mark of 205.33 meters, per the flood control bulletin. While the water retreat offers hope, the lingering silt and damp conditions keep families like Vinod’s stranded in relief camps.
Vinod, a 47-year-old daily wage laborer from Ghat 28, has been at the Yamuna Bazar camp with his wife and six children for over a month. “Our home is filled with mud. We must clear it and let the house dry before moving back,” he told PTI. His children, missing school and college, guard belongings while he cleans. Neelam Devi, 45, from Ghat 27, described the exhausting task of removing silt without funds to hire help, with drying dependent on unpredictable weather.
Also Read: Yamuna Floods Submerge Delhi, Thousands Forced Into Shelters
Nearly 10,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas like Yamuna Bazar, Monastery Market, and Mayur Vihar after the river breached the danger mark last Tuesday. Tents on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and in Mayur Vihar house displaced families.
The 2023 floods, when the Yamuna hit a record 208.66 meters, displaced over 25,000, and residents remain cautious. For now, the slow process of clearing silt and drying homes delays their return, testing resilience amid ongoing recovery efforts.
Also Read: Yamuna Rises Above Danger Mark, Delhi Declares Flood Emergency
