IAF choppers airlift 160 to safety in Gujarat

Five helicopters of the Indian Air Force airlifted 160 people to safety from different flood-affected locations in north Gujarat on Tuesday, officials said.

The Defence PRO said in a release that the helicopters also carried over 3,400 kg of relief material to designated places, mostly in Banaskantha district, which has been the worst-hit by incessant rainfall over the past few days. The helicopters also carried the teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue operations in Jalore district of Rajasthan.

The release said that uninterrupted rain and the prevailing weather conditions have resulted in an increase in number of requests being received from the state government for aerial evacuations.

“Going by the mounting number of people stranded amidst flood waters in different districts of the state and weather forecasts showing no signs of improvement in the next 24-48 hours, the Headquarters South Western Air Command has issued directions to its bases, aiming to keep over 20 aircrafts in a state of readiness to launch flood relief and rescue operations tomorrow,” it said.

The release added that arrangements have also been made to further bolster the numbers with augmentation from other Commands if the need be.

The Indian Army also managed to extricate over 450 people of Shihori and Jhabadiya villages of Banaskantha from life threatening flood waters to safety by sunset. The Golden Katar division had despatched two columns for the work. Officials said that operations are likely to continue late into the night and on Wednesday as more people are believed to be waiting for assistance.