The rescue operation for flood victims in Kerala is set to gain momentum with the Central government sanctioning the deployment of Army special forces and marine commandos along with 40 additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist the civilian administration.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media here on Thursday that 30 helicopters of the Air Force and the Navy were being pressed into service, with four more kept on standby at the Sulur airbase. Two Coast Guard ships were also on their way to Kochi.
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Specialised equipment
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He said the armed forces would bring specialised equipment for rescue work and supply dried food packets for citizens stranded by the floods.
Railways would also provide drinking water packets.
Mr.Vijayan said 52 teams of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, NDRF, and the Fire and Rescue Services were involved in the rescue efforts in different districts.
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The Army had deployed 12 columns, the Navy five diving teams and the Coast Guard three teams.
Eight helicopters of the Air Force and one belonging to the Coast Guard were in operation.
Union Minister of State for Tourism K.J.Alphons met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman, and Finance Minister Peeyush Goyal on Wednesday night to apprise them of the flood situation in Kerala.
Modi pledges support
Mr.Modi and Mr.Singh later spoke to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the phone and pledged to rush additional relief teams to places requested by government.
Mr.Alphons spoke to the District Collector, Pathanamthitta, and asked him to make sure that all families stuck in their houses at Ranni, Kozhencherry, Aranmula, and other places were rescued immediately.
He also spoke to Chief Secretary Tom Jose and Additional Chief Secretary P.H.Kurian.
Mr.Alphons reached Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday evening to coordinate rescue efforts with the Centre.