The three Services as well as Coast Guard have joined hands with the civil administration and national as well as the State disaster management authorities in relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
“Working in close coordination with the administrations of worst-hit Ratnagiri, Kolhapur and Sangli districts of Maharashtra, the Army has deployed task forces, comprising infantry, engineers, communication, recovery and medical teams in the affected areas,” a Ministry statement said. The teams conducted rescue and relief operations and saved precious lives in Chiplun, Shirol, Hatkangle, Palus and Miraj areas.
In Karnataka, the Navy mobilised seven well-equipped flood relief teams along with Naval divers, rubber ‘Gemini’ boats, life jackets and medical equipment for relief operations. “The teams evacuated 165 people from Singudda and Bhaire villages near Kadra Dam, while 70 people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Kaiga,” the statement said.
Naval Seaking and Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters and Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopters conducted multiple sorties and rescued people marooned due to sudden and sharp rise in the water levels. They also conducted aerial survey of the affected areas to enable senior officials to assess the situation and plan rescue and relief operations.
Around 400 personnel of National Disaster Response Force were airlifted by IAF aircraft from Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata and Vadodara to Pune, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri in Maharashtra and Goa along with 40 tonnes of rescue equipment, according to the statement.
The teams of the three Services were working round the clock to rescue the locals affected by floods, besides providing them with food, water, medical assistance, the statement said adding, more rescue teams and aircraft were on standby for deployment.
Coast Guard has dispatched Disaster Relief Teams (DRT) with Gemini boats and equipment to areas rendered unapproachable due to water inundation especially in Maharashtra and Karnataka. “As on July 25, Coast Guard has saved 215 precious lives across these three states. The DRTs, ships and aircraft are on standby for immediate mobilisation, if need be and a close coordination with local administration is being maintained,” the statement added.
