IAF swings into action for flood relief in Jammu and Kashmir

The Indian Air Force (IAF) mounted IL-76 sorties and pressed into action two AN-32 aircraft to airlift NDRF teams and equipment from Bhatinda to Srinagar and Jammu Air Force Bases in the past 48 hours.

The HQ Western Air Command has opened a disaster monitoring cell that is coordinating the efforts between all its bases including Srinagar, Udhampur, Jammu and Sarsawa apart from fixed wing effort from other bases.

The IAF Command has alerted all its bases to a high state of readiness to respond to the emerging situation.

The bad weather at Srinagar today did not permit the launch of helicopter effort from there. Six sorties by Mi-17 IV and Mi 17 V-5 were launched ex AF Stn Jammu that evacuated 108 personnel from including 3 children of these 94 personnel were moved to safer areas. Many of them were stranded on rooftops, marooned in the floods.

The IL-76 airlifted 32 tonnes of load and 162 NDRF personnel to Srinagar, whereas two AN-32 carried 25 NDRF personnel and load of 4 Tonnes to AF Stn Jammu.

The IAF has assigned aircrafts at its bases at Agra, Chandigarh, Suratgarh and Sarsawa apart from those in Jammu and Kashmir area for the relief operation.