Video: The Gardens near the Taj Mahal Flood for the First Time in 45 Years

Floodwaters overflowing from the banks of the Yamuna River have reached the walls of the Taj Mahal mausoleum complex in Agra, India. This is reported by the Times of India.

For the first time in 45 years, floodwaters have inundated the gardens surrounding the Taj Mahal, which are located along the banks of the Yamuna. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, responsible for the mausoleum’s preservation, the water has not penetrated the basement sections of the Taj Mahal, which could have posed a threat to the white marble structure built in the mid-17th century.

In 1978, during a flood of the Yamuna, 22 basements of the Taj Mahal were filled with water and covered with silt from the river. Following that, special structures were built by the river to protect the mausoleum from flooding. However, the current flood of the Yamuna now poses a threat to other architectural and historical monuments in Agra.

Currently, the level of the Yamuna in the Mathura area has reached 167.28 meters, which is above the safe level of 166 meters. The floods have been caused by rain as well as the release of water from reservoirs that have overflowed due to the powerful monsoon rains ravaging northern India.