Flood fury: Army deploys helicopters to evacuate people; 1,211 evacuated

Chandigarh, Aug 28 (IANS) The Indian Army on Thursday announced the launch of extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations involving 12 helicopters to evacuate and provide medical aid and food to people stranded in food-deprived areas, as per requisitions from the civil administration in Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.

A total of 1,211 civilians have been evacuated to safety so far, which also includes 11 Punjab government officials stranded at the Madhopur Barrage and 180 PMF personnel.

The operations were undertaken swiftly, utilising all available resources, with the singular aim of providing relief and rescue to the civilian populace. All the actions were undertaken in close coordination with the local state administration.

Swift and determined actions by Army aviation and ground forces have brought much-needed relief to flood-affected families across Jammu’s Mamun, Pathankot’s Samba, Kachle and Sujanpur, Gurdaspur’s Makaura Pattan and Adalatgarh, Amritsar and Ferozepur sectors.

A total of 28 Army columns, including medical teams and communication resources, have been activated to reinforce the relief effort. These columns are providing immediate ground support, evacuation assistance, restoration of connectivity and medical aid to displaced families, the Indian Army said in a statement.

Twelve helicopters -- comprising three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and nine Cheetah helicopters -- executed challenging winching and hovering operations, rescuing numerous civilians stranded on rooftops and in inundated villages, reflecting the high precision and bravery of Army Aviators.

In addition, boats and safety ropes are used to ferry stranded people to safer areas. Relief material distribution has also been a priority. Nearly 2,300 kg of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicines, have been dropped or distributed in cut-off areas by Army helicopters and ground teams.

Medical teams continue to provide on-the-spot aid to the injured and vulnerable. In a significant engineering effort, a Bailey bridge has been provided to the Jammu administration to restore connectivity in flood-damaged areas, ensuring the movement of relief supplies and critical resources.

The operations are being conducted round-the-clock in synergy with the state administration.

The ongoing operations underscore the Army’s ethos of service and sacrifice, as soldiers, engineers, medics and aviators continue to work tirelessly to save lives and restore normalcy.

--IANS

vg/dan