The three Services 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. Working in close coordination with the administrations of worst-hit Ratnagiri, Kolhapur and Sangli districts of Maharashtra, the Indian Army has deployed Task Forces, comprising Infantry, engineers, communication, recovery and medical teams in the affected areas. The teams conducted rescue and relief operations and saved precious lives in Chiplun, Shirol, Hatkangle, Palus and Miraj areas.
In Karnataka, the Indian Navy mobilised seven well-equipped flood relief teams along with Naval divers, rubber ‘Gemini’ boats, life jackets and medical equipment for flood 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. Naval Seaking, Advanced Light Helicopters & 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 (NDRF) were airlifted by Indian Air Force aircraft from Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata and Vadodara to Pune, Kolhapur & Ratnagiri in Maharashtra and Goa along with 40 tons of rescue equipment. The teams of the three Services are working round the clock to rescue the locals affected by floods, besides providing them with food, water, medical. More rescue teams and aircraft are on standby for deployment.
INDIAN ARMY INTENSIFIES FLOOD RELIEF OPERATIONS IN MAHARASHTRA
With the unprecedented rains and resultant overflowing of various rivers, a number of areas in Ratnagiri, Kohlapur, Sangli and other districts of Maharashtra have been inundated. On request of civil administration, Southern Command has mobilised flood relief and rescue teams to assist the locals in flood affected areas. A total of 15 flood relief teams from Aundh Military Station and Bombay Engineering Group, Pune have been deployed for flood relief and rescue operations in Sangli, Palus, Burli and Chiplun. The columns are involved in rescue of local villagers stranded in submerged areas and in restoring normalcy in these inundated areas. Over 100 persons have been rescued from the affected areas to safe locations.
The Indian Army is also providing cooked meals and drinking water in tankers to the villagers. Medical camps have also been established wherein medical teams of Army Doctors and Nursing Assistants have been deployed for providing necessary first aid and medicines to locals being evacuated from flood affected areas. The Army also with its deployed engineering efforts cleared the main route at Posare Budruk village of Ratnagiri district which was blocked due to landslide. The Army has established a Flood Relief Operation War Room at the Pune based Headquarters Southern Command to monitor the ongoing situation. Additional 10 flood relief teams have been put on alert for any contingency.
INDIAN NAVY MOBILISES RESCUE TEAMS FOR FLOOD RELIEF AND EVACUATION
With large parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa reeling under extensive flooding of both urban and rural areas caused by incessant rains and consequent overflowing of riverbanks and dams over the last few days, the Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy has mobilised considerable resources to provide assistance to State and District administrations of affected areas.
Maharashtra: Based on request received for assistance from civil authorities, a total of seven Naval Flood Rescue Teams (FRT) from Mumbai have been deployed to Ratnagiri and Raigarh districts. One Seaking 42C Helicopter from, Mumbai was deployed for aerial reconnaissance at Poladpur/Raigad. One ALH helicopter from Goa was positioned at Ratnagiri for relief/rescue, additional Flood Rescue Teams are being maintained on a high degree of readiness at Mumbai, for immediate deployment.
Karnataka: At Karwar, Indian Naval Emergency Response Team (ERT) comprising 17 Divers, five Geminis, associated equipment such as Life Jackets and Life Buoys was deployed in the morning hours on Friday in response to a request for assistance from the District Collector, Uttara Kannada. District to rescue people stranded near Kadra Dam, Mallapur Kurnipet, Kaiga due to heavy rains / floods. The team was able to successfully evacuate over 100 stranded people at Singudda and Bhaire villages whilst rescue efforts are being continued at Kaiga and Mallapur. The rescued personnel were shifted to safe locations in coordination with the district administration. In an another swift Search and Rescue mission undertaken at Dongri in Gangavalli river belt, eight personnel stranded in two hotels were air lifted by Naval Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), when local attempts for rescue were unsuccessful. The Naval ALH was launched from Goa and successfully completed rescue of the stranded people in over two hours.
Goa: In addition to providing aerial support to Karwar rescue efforts, A sortie was made to Ganjem near Ponda to check and verify the receding water levels. Another ALH has been deployed at flood affected Ratnagiri to undertake search and rescue missions.