Over the past 48 hours, Western Air Command helicopters have conducted more than 50 sorties, saving more than 780 people from flood-affected areas in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, according to Indian Air Force officials.
Nipun Jindal, the deputy commissioner for Kangra, stated that “a total of 800 trapped civilians were rescued on August 15,” in reference to the ongoing relief and rescue efforts in the Fatehpur subdivision of the Kangra district. With the assistance of the NDRF, the Indian Army, and the Indian Air Force, additional rescue efforts are currently underway. For those who have already been saved, all necessary preparations have been made. They have also been provided with relief camps. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, earlier that day flew over the flood-affected areas of Indora and Fatehpur in the Kangra district.
He assessed the status of the ongoing rescue operations and other relief efforts in the flooded area downstream of Pong Reservoir. The CM spoke with people in the relief camps at Damtal and Shekhpura, asking about their health and assuring them of all the assistance the government could provide. He also expressed concern about the deaths and property damage brought on by flooding and heavy rains in the upper reaches of the state.
Sukhu said colossal damage has been caused to public and private properties. Scores of locals helplessly saw their homes being washed away while vast areas under harvest have been submerged under water, leading to untold losses to farmers.