No flood threat at Agra as Yamuna recedes

Agra, June 24 (IANS) Agra is no longer facing a flood threat as the water level in the Yamuna has gone down, an official said Monday.

"The situation for the moment is stable," said J.P. Singh, in charge of flood control room of the irrigation department.

Earlier there were fears of a major flood after the river crossed the 2010 level and almost touched the 1978 level following copious discharges from upstream barrages including Okhla, Gokul and Hathnikund.

"The low-lying areas along the river bank and parts of the temple complex in Bateshwar were inundated," said authorities.

Behind the Taj Mahal, the river water entered the artificial lawn developed by the Archaeological Survey of India, and also the Mehtab Bagh complex on the opposite bank.

In Bah tehsil, 70 km downstream of the Taj Mahal, flood water entered the fields and there was large scale damage to vegetable crops.