Look: Floods force Indian capital to shut schools, offices, and plan water rationing

Flooding in parts of New Delhi forced the city government to close all education institutions in India's capital on Thursday and advise people to work from home, while warning that there would be water rationing after the Yamuna river broke its banks.

Since the rainy monsoon season began on June 1, Delhi has recorded 113 per cent above-average rainfall, the India Meteorological Department said, and the rains in the hilly states to the north have fed the river's floodwaters.

Video footage showed submerged roads in the downtown area, where government and private companies' offices are located, with water half-way up the sides of parked cars. Other images showed the road by the city's historical Red Fort under water.

"I appeal to all the people of Delhi to cooperate with each other in every possible way in this emergency," Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday, warning that water supplies would be badly affected.

"Due to closure of water treatment plants, the supply of water will be affected by up to 25 per cent. That's why water rationing will be done," Kejriwal told reporters.

The city of 20 million people has ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and universities until Sunday and stopped non-essential government staff from coming to office, Kejriwal said, adding that private firms were also being advised "to implement work from home."

Kejriwal said the Yamuna's level would peak later on Thursday, having already reached it highest levels in 45 years as a result of the unusually heavy downpours north of the capital.

Roads have been washed away during heavy rains in the mountainous Uttarakhand state, its chief minister told reporters on Wednesday.