Thousands flee Yamuna’s wrath

The entrance to Monastery Market was under waist-deep water on Wednesday afternoon. Rescue boats pulled up outside the rows of shuttered shops, dropping off evacuees and turning back immediately to collect more. Shopkeepers clutched salvaged bags, while some waded or swam through the lanes to reach their flooded stalls.

- Aheli Das

“Hundreds are still stuck in the colonies behind the market,” said Gagandeep Bhasin, a shoe and bag seller who recalled bracing for similar scenes during the 2023 floods. “We began moving stock early in the morning. By 10am, the water had risen dangerously.”

Among those ferried out was 25-year-old Pinky Shamila, who had never experienced the Yamuna’s fury before. “There was panic in the building as the water kept rising. I was told to carry only one small bag,” she said, heading towards Majnu ka Tilla to stay with a friend. “My neighbours helped, but I kept wondering what to leave behind.”

For Prabhat Kumar and his wife, evacuation was complicated by their two-year-old child. “We just bought books, a study table, toys, clothes for our child... If we lose them, we cannot afford to replace them,” Kumar said. He left his wife and child in safety and returned by boat to salvage some belongings.

Loss weighed heavily on traders too. “I was here in 2023 as well. You think it gets easier the second time, but it doesn’t,” said Jamyamg, who goes by one name. “I moved half my stock to my sister’s home, but not in time. Some of it is gone and I'm going to have to bear some losses. The market will suffer.”