People living near Yamuna River in New Delhi return home as waters recede

People ride a boat to look for strandad residents at a flooded colony, after a rise in waters of the river Yamuna due to heavy monsoon rain, in New Delhi, India, July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - People living near a river running through India's capital began returning to their homes on Monday as floodwaters receded five days after the Yamuna overflowed into the city.

The Yamuna River rose to its highest in 45 years last week following unusually heavy rainfall in the city, with runoff from hilly states to the north also causing its waters to swell. Thousands of people were evacuated to relief camps, the New Delhi government said, to escape the flooding.