IAF continues rescue ops in flood-hit areas
ALLAHABAD: The Indian Air Force continued to conduct rescue operations in flood-hit districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Wednesday.
The operation was launched from the air force station at Gorakhpur, wherein two Mi-17 helicopters have been deployed to distribute relief material and rescue victims stranded in the floodhit zone.
“The first helicopter carried out the operations in Motihari district covering Sagauli, Banjaria and Madhubani Ghat on the western bank of Gandak river in Bihar. It made 17 trips in three hours five minutes to drop 17.7 tonne of relief material in this region. The second helicopter dropped 2.55 tonne relief material in the areas located 15-20 km north and north-west of Gorakhpur in an hour-and-a-half,” said group captain Basantkumar B Pande, public relation officer (defence) for UP, Bihar, MP and Chhattisgarh.
So far, the two Mi-17 helicopters have made 145 trips from the base station, dropping 114.85 tonne of relief material and rescued 129 personnel, he added.
Due to heavy rains in the last two weeks, several areas of western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh have been flooded, due to which the submerged towns situated close to rivers have been cut off from road and rail connectivity. Mi-17 helicopters have been carrying out extensive flood relief operations since August 14.
TWO MI17 HELICOPTERS HAVE MADE 145 TRIPS FROM THE BASE STATION, DROPPING 114.85 TONNE OF RELIEF MATERIAL