New Delhi, Aug. 16 -- The Yamuna's water level in Delhi rose more than a metre on Friday, touching this season's highest point and crossing the "warning level" for the third time this year. Officials expect the surge to continue and breach the "danger mark" of 205.3 metres by Saturday morning. The level had reached 205.25 metres at 8pm. The rise follows heavy rain in the upper catchment areas and sustained high discharges from the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana. According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the river - measured at the Old Railway Bridge - stood at 203.9m at 8am on Friday, reached warning level of 204.5m by noon, and climbed to 205.07m by 5pm, just 23cm short of the danger level. The season's previous peak was 205.15m on August 8. CWC data showed that hourly discharges from Hathnikund have exceeded 40,000 cusecs since 1pm on Thursday, peaking at 65,861 cusecs at 3pm the same day. Such flows typically take around 48 hours to reach Delhi, prompting forecasts of further rises until at least Saturday. "We have been seeing consistent discharges in the range of 40,000 to 60,000 cusecs since Thursday afternoon, which are now reflecting in the water level. At this rate, the water should cross the danger level," said Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator at the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP). The Flood and Irrigation Department has said evacuations from low-lying areas will begin once levels reach 206m. Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma, who inspected preparations last week, said a repeat of the 2023 flooding was unlikely. "All gates at the ITO barrage are open. Plans are in place to safely relocate people to secure areas if necessary," he said....