The Yamuna river flooded low-lying parts of the Indian capital Saturday as it continued to rise after a spell of heavy rains. The river was at least two metres above danger level and was expected to rise further by the evening, IANS news agency reported citing an official at the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control. Low-lying areas near the river, including Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur Pusta and Shastri Nagar, were inundated, PTI news agency reported. Areas near the city's main bus terminal were also flooded. At least 2,000 residents living along the riverbank had been evacuated to safer places, a Delhi government official said. Indian Railways announced the cancellation of 25 trains and the diversion of another 36 after an ageing road-and-rail bridge leading into Delhi was closed Thursday evening after the river rose above the danger level. The local weather office forecast further showers on Saturday and Sunday. Authorities in adjoining Haryana state, which has also seen heavy rains over the past week, were expected to release excess water from an upstream dam on the Yamuna later in the day, NDTV reported. More than 250,000 Delhi residents were affected when the Yamuna flooded in 1978.
