More motorised boats, life jackets, choppers being rushed to Kerala
To speed up the rescue and relief operations in Kerala, the Centre is rushing additional motorised boats, choppers, life jackets, life buoys, raincoats, gumboots and inflatable tower lights to the flood-affected state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to visit the state Friday evening to take stock of the situation.
The Centre has also offered the Naval air strip in Kochi for civilian flights as the city’s airport has drowned in flood water.
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by cabinet secretary PK Sinha met again on Friday, second time in two days, to review the rescue and relief operations in Kerala.
Sinha also held a video conference with the chief secretaries of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
“It was decided to mobilise additional resources of all agencies including Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide the required assistance to Kerala,” said a government statement.
The statement said the Kerala chief secretary requested for motorised boats so as to reach people marooned in flood-hit areas.
The government said so far the Centre has mobilised deployment of 339 motorised boats, 2,800 life jackets, 1,400 life buoys, 27 light towers and 1,000 raincoats.
“Further, 72 motor boats, 5,000 life jackets, 2,000 life buoys, 13 light towers and 1,000 raincoats are being deployed. 1,00,000 food packets have been distributed and arrangements are being made to supply another 100,000 food packets,” said the statement.
The government said the Navy has deployed 51 boats along with diving teams, 1,000 life jackets and 1,300 gumboots are being rushed to Kerala on Friday. It flew 16 sorties in 48 hours in rescue operations and also dropped 1,600 food packets.
Similarly, the coast guard has deployed 30 boats, 300 life jackets, seven life rafts and 144 life buoys, along with the rescue teams.
The Air Force has deployed 23 helicopters and 11 transport aircraft. The Army too was pressed into service, with 10 columns, 10 Engineering Task Forces (ETFs) and 60 boats helping those marooned.
The NDRF has been working with 43 rescue teams and 163 boats along with other equipment. Other paramilitary forces too have been asked to provide rescue and relief equipments.
The statement said the Railways has provided 120,000 water bottles. Another 120,000 bottles are ready to be despatched. “It is also running a special train carrying 2.9 lakh litres of drinking water that will reach Kayamkulam on Saturday,” said the statement.
The NCMC will meet again on Saturday to review the unfolding situation.
NEWDELHI: