With the Yamuna swelling to a staggering 208.48 metres, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced closure of schools in areas inundated with floodwater.

The national capital recorded a rapid increase in the Yamuna's water level over the past three days. The water level shot up from 203.14 metres at 11 am on Sunday to 205.4 metres at 5 pm on Monday, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres 18 hours earlier than expected.

The river exceeded the evacuation mark of 206 metres Monday night, prompting the relocation of people residing in flood-prone areas to safer locations, and the closure of the Old Railway Bridge for road and rail traffic.

The water level further breached the previous all-time record of 207.49 metres by 1 pm on Wednesday and the 208-metre mark by 10 pm.

"All government and private schools are being closed in areas of Delhi where water is filling up," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) also issued a circular directing closure of all government and private schools in low lying areas.

“As waters of river Yamuna crossed the danger mark, the heads of all the Government and Private Schools in affected areas are hereby ordered to take adequate measures to ensure safety of the students. All schools in low lying areas where there is an imminent danger of flooding must be closed with immediate effect without waiting for any further orders,” the circular said.

The DoE has also directed the zonal and district authorities to remain in touch with the schools and provide support.

“Areas like East, North East, North, South East and Central districts have been affected and all schools in these districts must be closed with immediate effect without waiting for any further orders,” the circular added.