Over 5,000 troops, six transport aircraft and more than 15 helicopters have been deployed by the armed forces.
Over 5,000 troops, six transport aircraft and more than 15 helicopters have been deployed by the armed forces in the quake-hit Sikkim to carry out relief operations.
Two army personnel died in the quake near Zima in North Sikkim while a Junior Engineer of BRO was reported killed during rescue operation, a Defence Ministry release said here.
"Two MI-17 helicopters of the IAF carried relief material and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) to Lachen and Mangan, the interior regions of North Sikkim," it said.
Landslides have cut off army's 112 brigade deployed in the North Sikkim with the rest of the country.
"The road connecting Gangtok with North Sikkim has been cut off at several places. Our three battalions and one battalion of ITBP with over 4,500 men are present in that area," Army sources said here.
They said connectivity has been maintained with the formations there through helicopters and work is on to restore the road, which is crucial for reaching the area bordering China.
An alternative route to the area has also been proposed by the Army but the project is not yet finalised due to lack of environmental clearances, the sources said.
The Ministry said that over 5,000 army personnel, including ten columns of army engineers each comprising 15-20 personnel, were pressed into action immediately after the first tremor was felt.
"Troops stationed in the area have provided shelter to over 1,500 people including 1,000 civilians at Gangtok and 200 civilians at Darjeeling," it said.
The IAF had dispatched two C-130J Hercules with 203 NDRF personnel, sniffer dogs, search and rescue teams, medical personnel and nine tonnes of relief materials including tents, medicines and food stocks from Hindon to Bagdogra within hours of the quake.
An Mi-17 helicopter with medical team and relief equipment also took off from Bagdogra for Gangtok and two Cheetah helicopters from Bagdogra carried out aerial recce missions to assess the damage caused by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake with its epicentre on Indo-Nepal border in Sikkim.
One IL-76 with 100 personnel of the No 2 NDRF battalion and eight tonnes of material flew from Chandigarh to Bagdogra this morning and will make another sortie tonight.
Officials said that the National Highway 31 connecting Gangtok with Sukna in West Bengal has been reopened after it was blocked after the earthquake.
Four ALH and five Cheetah helicopters are on standby at Sukna Military Station. Two Cheetah and one MI-17 Helicopters also on standby at Bagdogra Airbase. Besides this two Mi-17 helicopters are kept on standby at Guwahati.
"They will be operational once the weather improves," the release said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}