Key roads in Delhi are flooded as the Yamuna river rises

New Delhi: Key roads in the Indian capital, Delhi, have been flooded as water from the Yamuna river has overflowed onto them.

The water level of the river has been rising since Wednesday after it breached an all-time high mark in more than 45 years.

Local authorities have evacuated thousands from nearby low-lying areas and have diverted traffic from arterial roads, BBC news reported.

Northern India has witnessed record rainfall so far this monsoon season, which began in June, local officials said.

At least 88 people have died in Himachal Pradesh since rains began late last June 2023, while nearby states like Punjab and Haryana have also been witnessing severe flooding.

On Thursday morning, the water level of Yamuna had risen to 208.46 meters from 207.49 meters the previous day - the highest in 45 years, local authorities said.

Water from the swelling river has inundated several low-lying areas and roads.

More than 16,000 people have been shifted to relief tents pitched under flyovers by the Delhi government.

Disaster relief teams have been deployed in several regions and rescue efforts are ongoing in flooded areas.

Seasonal monsoon rains are a lifeline for India but also typically cause deaths and destruction to property every year.

India has experienced increasingly extreme weather in recent years - the unrelenting rains come just weeks after an extreme heatwave gripped most of northern India.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but experts say climate change caused by global warming makes extreme rainfall more likely.