India will spend nearly $300 million in two years to expand water bodies like lakes and build drains in seven cities including Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru to mitigate floods and conserve water, a government official told Reuters on Wednesday (Aug 21).

Flooding, often fatal, is common in Indian cities every monsoon as rapid urbanisation devours city lakes and waste clogs drains. Such flooding has been preceded by severe water shortages in recent years, especially in Delhi and Bengaluru, where once-plenty water storage spaces have shrunk.

Ratings agency Moody's warned in June that India's growing water stress could affect its growth, which at a projected 7.2 per cent this April-March fiscal year is the highest among major economies.

The federal government spending, the first flood control measure focused on water bodies, was approved recently and will also incorporate early-warning systems, said Krishna S. Vatsa, one of the three members of the National Disaster Management Authority.

"It could become one of the most significant approaches to flood mitigation in the cities," Vatsa said in an interview.

"While the importance of stormwater drainage in reducing the runoff cannot be overlooked, they also need to be supplemented by some of the nature-based solutions such as increasing the capacity of rivers and lakes to carry rainwater."

Watch |&nbsp;India Monsoon: Heavy rains triggers floods 7 landslides

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-monsoon-heavy-rains-triggers-floods-7-landslides-737744/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

He said of the 25 billion rupees ($298 million), Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata would each receive 5 billion rupees, while Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune will get 2.5 billion rupees each. No allotment was made for the capital Delhi, since the cities were chosen based on the frequency of floods and an assessment of resulting losses there, Vatsa said.

However, he warned that longer-term measures were also needed, especially since the country was witnessing huge volumes of rain in a short span of time.

More than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain lashed India's financial capital Mumbai in six hours early on July 8, authorities have said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-himachal-and-kerala-indias-flood-fury-turns-to-maharashtra-747359">Also read |&nbsp;After Himachal and Kerala, India's flood fury turns to Maharashtra</a>

"Whenever a city receives 100 mm of rainfall, there is bound to be inundation," Vatsa said. "You need a certain level of investment continuously which is supported by a whole lot of governance measures so that the problem could be reduced."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

India will spend nearly $300 million in two years to expand water bodies like lakes and build drains in seven cities including Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru to mitigate floods and conserve water, a government official told Reuters on Wednesday (Aug 21).

India will spend nearly $300 million in two years to expand water bodies like lakes and build drains in seven cities including Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru to mitigate floods and conserve water, a government official told Reuters on Wednesday (Aug 21). Flooding, often fatal, is common in Indian cities every monsoon as rapid urbanisation devours city lakes and waste clogs drains. Such flooding has been preceded by severe water shortages in recent years, especially in Delhi and Bengaluru, where once-plenty water storage spaces have shrunk. Ratings agency Moody's warned in June that India's growing water stress could affect its growth, which at a projected 7.2 per cent this April-March fiscal year is the highest among major economies. The federal government spending, the first flood control measure focused on water bodies, was approved recently and will also incorporate early-warning systems, said Krishna S. Vatsa, one of the three members of the National Disaster Management Authority. "It could become one of the most significant approaches to flood mitigation in the cities," Vatsa said in an interview. "While the importance of stormwater drainage in reducing the runoff cannot be overlooked, they also need to be supplemented by some of the nature-based solutions such as increasing the capacity of rivers and lakes to carry rainwater." Watch | India Monsoon: Heavy rains triggers floods 7 landslides × He said of the 25 billion rupees ($298 million), Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata would each receive 5 billion rupees, while Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune will get 2.5 billion rupees each. No allotment was made for the capital Delhi, since the cities were chosen based on the frequency of floods and an assessment of resulting losses there, Vatsa said. However, he warned that longer-term measures were also needed, especially since the country was witnessing huge volumes of rain in a short span of time. More than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain lashed India's financial capital Mumbai in six hours early on July 8, authorities have said. Also read | After Himachal and Kerala, India's flood fury turns to Maharashtra "Whenever a city receives 100 mm of rainfall, there is bound to be inundation," Vatsa said. "You need a certain level of investment continuously which is supported by a whole lot of governance measures so that the problem could be reduced." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Indian govt to spend $300mn to thwart floods, conserve water

The water level of the Yamuna River slowly receded after reaching an all-time high even as various areas in capital New Delhi remain flooded, as river water reached India's Supreme Court. 
 
Schools, colleges, crematoriums as well as water treatment plants were shut down by the Delhi government. The water level in River Yamuna was recorded at 208.46 metres at 6 am on Friday (July 14), slightly lower than 208.66, which was recorded on Thursday.

The flood water of Yamuna reached near the Supreme Court on Thursday because of suspected backflow of water from drains. 
 
Some parts of Bhagwan Das Road and Mathura Road near the Supreme Court remain flooded.

Authorities banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yamuna?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yamuna</a> flood water reaches close to the Supreme Court due to possible backflow of water from drain. 
 
Some portions of Mathura Road and Bhagwan Das road near Supreme Court flooded<a href="https://twitter.com/htTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@htTweets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/delhiflood?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#delhiflood</a> <a href="https://t.co/tHtlkX61Dy">pic.twitter.com/tHtlkX61Dy</a>
— Alok K N Mishra HT (@AlokKNMishra) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlokKNMishra/status/1679533975973564417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to the Central Water Commission, the water levels are likely to recede on Friday and can reach 208.30 metres by 1 pm.

As per an official statement, around 23,692 people were evacuated from the nearby areas of the Yamuna River in Delhi on Thursday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/extreme-flood-alert-in-indian-capital-as-river-yamuna-breaches-critical-20846-million-mark-614927">Water level stable in Delhi's Yamuna river for past 3 hours after constant rise; schools, colleges shut</a>

Several roads of the national capital remain flooded as water gushed into medical facilities, crematoriums, houses and shelter homes in Delhi.

Many important areas including the secretariat housing the offices of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues were flooded on Thursday as rescue and relief efforts continued. 
 
People faced waterlogging on Friday morning at various places including Rajghat and ITO road after heavy rain.

 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to France, called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and enquired about the flood-like situation in the capital city, as per reports. Shah, during the telephone conversation, informed the prime minister that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours in River Yamuna.

<h2>Roads, highways damaged after floods in northern India</h2>

Indian states of Punjab and Haryana were also hit by the rains and relief work is being conducted at a brisk pace.

According to the figures released by the Haryana government, the death toll in rain-related incidents reached 16.

Earlier, the officials had reported 10 deaths in the state and 11 from neighbouring Punjab.

WATCH |&nbsp;Flood Threat: Delhi has recorded 112% above-average rainfall this year

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/flood-threat-delhi-has-recorded-112-above-average-rainfall-this-year-615344/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Relief operations have been stepped up by the government authorities in the two states as the weather continues to improve in the last three days. The monsoon rains have affected overall 14 districts in Punjab and seven in Haryana. 
 
The roads and highways in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh have suffered huge damage because of flooding and landslides. A month's rainfall was received by many districts in a single day over the weekend. Tourists were stranded in the town of Manali along with their vehicles after the floods washed away the roads.

You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" data-gtm-yt-inspected-17="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-23="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-33="true" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The water level of the Yamuna River slowly receded after reaching an all-time high even as various areas in capital New Delhi remain flooded, as river water reached India's Supreme Court.

The water level of the Yamuna River slowly receded after reaching an all-time high even as various areas in capital New Delhi remain flooded, as river water reached India's Supreme Court. Schools, colleges, crematoriums as well as water treatment plants were shut down by the Delhi government. The water level in River Yamuna was recorded at 208.46 metres at 6 am on Friday (July 14), slightly lower than 208.66, which was recorded on Thursday. The flood water of Yamuna reached near the Supreme Court on Thursday because of suspected backflow of water from drains. Some parts of Bhagwan Das Road and Mathura Road near the Supreme Court remain flooded. Authorities banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles engaged in non-essential services. #Yamuna flood water reaches close to the Supreme Court due to possible backflow of water from drain. Some portions of Mathura Road and Bhagwan Das road near Supreme Court flooded@htTweets #delhiflood pic.twitter.com/tHtlkX61Dy — Alok K N Mishra HT (@AlokKNMishra) July 13, 2023 × According to the Central Water Commission, the water levels are likely to recede on Friday and can reach 208.30 metres by 1 pm. As per an official statement, around 23,692 people were evacuated from the nearby areas of the Yamuna River in Delhi on Thursday. ALSO READ | Water level stable in Delhi's Yamuna river for past 3 hours after constant rise; schools, colleges shut Several roads of the national capital remain flooded as water gushed into medical facilities, crematoriums, houses and shelter homes in Delhi. Many important areas including the secretariat housing the offices of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues were flooded on Thursday as rescue and relief efforts continued. People faced waterlogging on Friday morning at various places including Rajghat and ITO road after heavy rain. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to France, called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and enquired about the flood-like situation in the capital city, as per reports. Shah, during the telephone conversation, informed the prime minister that the water level is likely to recede in the next 24 hours in River Yamuna. Roads, highways damaged after floods in northern India Indian states of Punjab and Haryana were also hit by the rains and relief work is being conducted at a brisk pace. According to the figures released by the Haryana government, the death toll in rain-related incidents reached 16. Earlier, the officials had reported 10 deaths in the state and 11 from neighbouring Punjab. WATCH | Flood Threat: Delhi has recorded 112% above-average rainfall this year Relief operations have been stepped up by the government authorities in the two states as the weather continues to improve in the last three days. The monsoon rains have affected overall 14 districts in Punjab and seven in Haryana. The roads and highways in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh have suffered huge damage because of flooding and landslides. A month's rainfall was received by many districts in a single day over the weekend. Tourists were stranded in the town of Manali along with their vehicles after the floods washed away the roads. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Yamuna flood water reaches India's Supreme Court; water receding slowly

Kurdish region in Iraq has been inundated with heavy rainfall this as the flood water has now swept through the city of Erbil and has caused massive damage and a number of casualties which are yet to be reported.

Iraq: Floodwaters sweep through Ebril, govt announces holidays for schools

Three more people died as torrential rain and flash floods battered southeastern Spain, raising the death toll to five with the rising waters causing havoc for travellers and forcing 3,500 people from their homes, officials said Friday.

The latest fatality was a man whose body was found in the area of Redovan, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the city of Alicante, a spokeswoman for the emergency services said, without giving details.

Earlier in the day, a 36-year-old man died in the Andalusia region after his car was swept away in the rushing waters, the local emergency services said. His empty car had been found earlier in the day.

Also in the morning, a middle-aged man died in the coastal city of Almeria after his car got stuck in a tunnel that flooded within minutes, they said.

City mayor Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco told Cadena Ser radio that police managed to save two other people who were also in the vehicle but were unable to save him.

Two other people, a 61-year-old man and his sister, 51, died on Thursday when their vehicle was swept away as fast-moving waters swamped a road in Caudete, a municipality around 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of the port city of Valencia.

Parts of southeastern Spain have since Wednesday suffered some of the heaviest rainfall on record, which has caused chaos on the roads, cutting public transport and prompting rivers to burst their banks, flooding homes.

In Redovan, the floodwaters reached knee-height with residents working tirelessly to bail out the water with buckets, an AFP photographer said, while rescuers were using diggers and trucks to rescue other stranded locals.

More than 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes, the interior ministry said.

Some 3,000 state security forces, including police, firefighters and soldiers from a military emergency unit, were taking part in the rescue operation, the ministry said.

During the afternoon, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska flew in to survey the damage, taking a helicopter ride over the waterlogged town of Orihuela, some five kilometres south of Redovan, a spokesman said.

Footage broadcast on Spanish media showed emergency services personnel using a jet ski to inspect a flooded highway tunnel as rivers of brown water gushed down the streets, in some cases washing cars away.

'Very critical'

The regional airport in Almeria was closed for several hours on Friday with the floodwaters making it difficult for workers to reach it, forcing the cancellation of two flights and the diversion of two others to Malaga, Spanish airports operator AENA said.

The airport in Murcia was shut down for the day and 22 flights that had been due to land in Palma on the holiday island of Mallorca were diverted to other Spanish airports, it added.

In October 2018 torrential rain and flash floods killed 13 people in Mallorca.

Rail service was suspended on several routes in Valencia and Murcia, state-owned train operator Renfe said in a statement.

Authorities urged people in the area not to drive and stay home if possible.

"The situation remains very critical," Fernando Lopez Miras, head of the Murcia regional government, told Spanish public television TVE.

Schools were closed across the Valencia region on Friday, as well as in Murcia and parts of Andalusia, authorities said.

In Valencia alone, more than 689,000 students were affected, according to the regional government.

Three more people died as torrential rain and flash floods battered southeastern Spain, raising the death toll to five with the rising waters causing havoc for travellers and forcing 3,500 people from their homes, officials said Friday.

Three more people died as torrential rain and flash floods battered southeastern Spain, raising the death toll to five with the rising waters causing havoc for travellers and forcing 3,500 people from their homes, officials said Friday. The latest fatality was a man whose body was found in the area of Redovan, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of the city of Alicante, a spokeswoman for the emergency services said, without giving details. Earlier in the day, a 36-year-old man died in the Andalusia region after his car was swept away in the rushing waters, the local emergency services said. His empty car had been found earlier in the day. Also in the morning, a middle-aged man died in the coastal city of Almeria after his car got stuck in a tunnel that flooded within minutes, they said. City mayor Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco told Cadena Ser radio that police managed to save two other people who were also in the vehicle but were unable to save him. Two other people, a 61-year-old man and his sister, 51, died on Thursday when their vehicle was swept away as fast-moving waters swamped a road in Caudete, a municipality around 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of the port city of Valencia. Parts of southeastern Spain have since Wednesday suffered some of the heaviest rainfall on record, which has caused chaos on the roads, cutting public transport and prompting rivers to burst their banks, flooding homes. In Redovan, the floodwaters reached knee-height with residents working tirelessly to bail out the water with buckets, an AFP photographer said, while rescuers were using diggers and trucks to rescue other stranded locals. More than 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes, the interior ministry said. Some 3,000 state security forces, including police, firefighters and soldiers from a military emergency unit, were taking part in the rescue operation, the ministry said. During the afternoon, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska flew in to survey the damage, taking a helicopter ride over the waterlogged town of Orihuela, some five kilometres south of Redovan, a spokesman said. Footage broadcast on Spanish media showed emergency services personnel using a jet ski to inspect a flooded highway tunnel as rivers of brown water gushed down the streets, in some cases washing cars away. 'Very critical' The regional airport in Almeria was closed for several hours on Friday with the floodwaters making it difficult for workers to reach it, forcing the cancellation of two flights and the diversion of two others to Malaga, Spanish airports operator AENA said. The airport in Murcia was shut down for the day and 22 flights that had been due to land in Palma on the holiday island of Mallorca were diverted to other Spanish airports, it added. In October 2018 torrential rain and flash floods killed 13 people in Mallorca. Rail service was suspended on several routes in Valencia and Murcia, state-owned train operator Renfe said in a statement. Authorities urged people in the area not to drive and stay home if possible. "The situation remains very critical," Fernando Lopez Miras, head of the Murcia regional government, told Spanish public television TVE. Schools were closed across the Valencia region on Friday, as well as in Murcia and parts of Andalusia, authorities said. In Valencia alone, more than 689,000 students were affected, according to the regional government.

Death toll from Spain floods rises to five

flood-water

Flood Water, News on Flood Water, stories on Flood Water, articles on Flood Water, Flood Water stories at Wion, Flood Water news, Flood Water latest news