The Delhi government on Sunday deployed boats and set up tents to evacuate over 1,000 families living in low-lying areas near the Yamuna river, as its water level remained above the danger mark. The water level was flowing at 205.46 metres on Sunday morning, a day after Haryana released six lakh cusecs of water from the Hathnikund Barrage. The danger mark is at 204.83 metres.

“We have established over 750 tents for about 1,000 families in East Zone alone,” Nodal Officer (Preet Vihar) Arun Gupta told the Hindustan Times. “The arrangements for their food have also been made. We are shifting the people living in the river bed to the nearest high area. Boats have been deployed to tackle any unwanted situation.”

Haryana released water at 6 pm on Saturday after heavy rain. The water from the Hathnikund Barrage takes 72 hours to reach Delhi and provides for the Capital’s drinking water needs.

“More water is being released from the barrage every hour, which will have an impact on the water level of the river here,” an unidentified Irrigation and Flood Control Department official said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited the low-lying areas around Akshardham and Pandav Nagar to take stock of the evacuation process, the Aam Aadmi Party said on Twitter. On Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had reviewed the government’s preparedness to tackle the situation.