Udhampur/Jammu, September 09, (Scoop News)- A massive rescue and relief operations by the Indian Armed Forces is on in Jammu and Kashmir with more helicopters and rescue materials including boats pressed into service today.
Defence spokesperson,SD Goswami told Scoop News that Armed Forces and NDRF so far rescued 47227 persons in different regions of J&K. Army has deployed 220 columns of its personnel for rescue and relief operations, in which 135 columns deployed in Srinagar region and 85 columns in Jammu region. They have distributed 7,200 blankets and 210 tents. He said that Army also distributed 42,000 litres of water, 600 kilograms of biscuit, 7 tonne baby food and 1000 food packets in the flood-affected areas. Additional water bottles are being airlifted from Chandigarh and Delhi. In order to meet the shortage of food in the flood-affected area, cooked food including biscuits are being sent from Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad on a large scale. In an endeavor to provide speedy medical aid to the affected populace, 80 medical teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services have also swung into action.
So far 451 sorties were undertaken by the helicopters and aircraft of Indian Air Force and 563 tonnes of relief materials are dropped by the Indian Air Force. Altogether 61 aircraft and helicopters have been pressed into action.
135 Army bauts and 148 NDRF’s inflatable boats are actively involved in the rescue operation.
BSNL with the assistance of the Armed Forces is trying hard to restore its mobile services through satellite network and the telecom network at the earliest. Besides, Air Force communication equipment and a team from private telecom company are being airlifted from Delhi.
To restore the road connectivity, five task forces of Border Roads Organisation, which include 5700 personnel, have been pressed into service. As of now, they have restored the road connectivity between Batote and Kishtwar. Work between Kishtwar and Sinthan Pass is in progress and Jammu to KM 172 is open for light vehicular traffic.
Fifteen engineering task force teams along with boats and other lifesaving equipment have already reached the flood affected areas to supplement the rescue operation. The situation is being continuously monitored and progress of the events are updated at the office of the HQ IDS in New Delhi.
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