Families relocated again as water enters relief camps

 NEW DELHI

For families displaced by the swelling Yamuna, the relief camps that were meant to shelter them are now under threat. Floodwaters entered parts of the Mayur Vihar camp late on Wednesday, forcing authorities to dismantle submerged tents and relocate residents once again.

Ramkali, 45, from Yamuna Khader, has been living in a relief camp for two days. “The Yamuna has entered our homes many times before, but this is the first time we saw it enter the relief camps too,” she said, watching workers dismantle the waterlogged tents.

The mother of three said she had not slept the previous night, worried that water would creep into her tent. “You never know when we will have to be relocated again.”

The Mayur Vihar relief camp, among the largest in the city, currently houses around 2,500 people, according to authorities.

A civil defence volunteer said residents from seven to eight inundated tents were shifted to other tents or nearby schools, which are being used as additional shelters.

Fear and confusion

Nisha Devi, 27, said she was living in constant fear. “The water didn’t reach us, but people taking shelter just a few tents behind ours had to shift. There are no washrooms here. I have three children and we go to the bridge or deserted areas, which feel unsafe,” she said.

At Yamuna Bazar, as the waters began receding, residents returned to their homes to check if their belongings were intact. Most found their houses still submerged.

Salvaging belongings

Shubho Devi, 55, waded through deep water. “We left in a hurry and could only take our ID cards. I came to see if the gas cylinder and diaries were safe, but the house is still flooded,” she said, adding that she shifted a few belongings to the roof.

Others tried salvaging larger items. Men pushed cycle carts to shift refrigerators from a godown, while NDRF teams helped rescue livestock.

Ram Bihar Tiwari managed to retrieve an almirah and a cooler. For many, the ordeal brought back old memories. Nagma Devi, 45, who works as a domestic help, said, “I lost my utensils and clothes in the 2023 floods… I cannot afford to lose them again.”