STORY: Overflowing river leads to floods in India's capital, many evacuated
DATELINE: July 14, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:22
LOCATION: New Delhi
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. Shot of India gate
2. STANDUP 1 (English): DEEPAK PRAKASH, Xinhua reporter
3. various shots of flooded houses and roads
4. various shots of rescue operation by NDRF
5. SOUNDBITE 1 (Hindi): KHEM RAJ, Flood victim
6. various shots of relief camps providing food to affected people
7. SOUNDBITE 2 (Hindi): RASHID MALIK, Volunteer

STORYLINE:

Water level in river Yamuna, which passes through India's capital city Delhi, continues to remain above danger mark, posing fear of floods, particularly in low-lying areas of the city.

At 18:00 local time on Thursday, the water level of the overflowing river was recorded at 208.66 meters, much beyond the danger mark of 205.33 meters, said an official of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

Knee-deep water was seen in areas in central parts of Delhi, including the part near the historic monument Red Fort.

STANDUP (English): DEEPAK PRAKASH, Xinhua reporter
"Currently, I am standing in the backside of the Iconic Red Fort that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What you are seeing behind me is the water from the Yamuna River. The area has been flooded since last two days."

The situation has escalated rapidly, causing significant concerns for the residents and authorities in the affected areas.

The impact of the flooding is evident, with the Delhi Secretariat, housing offices of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet, and senior bureaucrats, also being submerged in water.

Delhi's largest interstate bus terminal at Kashmere Gate was also flooded on Thursday, with a large volume of Yamuna water entering the terminal. The services of the terminal have been suspended for the time being, causing problems for people who want to travel to different states.

As the water levels continue to rise, the focus is now on rescue and relief operations. Authorities are working tirelessly to evacuate stranded residents and provide them with necessary assistance.

According to some reports, more than 16,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas across the city.

The government, along with various relief agencies, has set up shelters and comfort camps to accommodate displaced individuals, offering them food, shelter, and medical aid.

One of them is established in the Mayur Vihar area of East Delhi to assist over 2,000 flood victims.

Khem Raj, a resident in Delhi, lost his livestock and house to the devastating floods. The destruction of his means of livelihood and shelter has left him devastated.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Hindi): KHEM RAJ, Flood victim
"The night before yesterday, water entered my slum. My blanket, clothes, and ration all got wet. We are 10 to 15 people, and we lost everything. We also had two goats, and they died as well. My child's health is poor. He has been experiencing fever, vomiting, and diarrhea for the past three days. There is a difficulty in obtaining medicine for him, and we are also facing challenges in accessing food and water."

Delhi's floods are just not only wreaking havoc on livestock but are also leading to significant health issues for many individuals. In this time of crisis, numerous volunteers are stepping forward to provide valuable assistance to the affected individuals by distributing free food and medicine to those in need.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Hindi): RASHID MALIK, Volunteer
"Since last night, we have received more calls, and besides us, many NGOs are also working here. Things are being sent to the people from the side of the Gurudwara as well. However, we have noticed that many people are experiencing symptoms of cold, cough, and fever. After the flood, the diseases that used to emerge once the water receded have now started appearing in people. Therefore, the majority of the calls we receive are related to fever and cough, and the disease has also begun to spread among the animals."

Meanwhile, a meeting of the DDMA was held during the day to assess the situation and made decisions including shutting down all educational institutions, setting up more relief camps, putting health infrastructure on alert, managing vehicular traffic, and encouraging working from home among government and private employees.

Xinhua News Agency correspondent reporting from New Delhi.
(XHTV)