The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out rescue operations in the Midnapore and Hooghly districts of West Bengal and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh and evacuated more than 40 people, officials said on Monday. In West Bengal, the IAF undertook missions in the flood-affected areas of Dhanyaghari of Khanakul Block 2 on Monday, rescuing 31 people from rooftops using two helicopters. the force said in a release. IAF helicopters were also deployed in the Shivpuri area of Madhya Pradesh, where 10 people were rescued and brought to safety, it added.
IAF was earlier involved in the rescue operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district and distributed relief material in the cloud-burst hit area of Honzar. "Three IAF helicopters -- one each from Jammu, Udhampur, and Srinagar -- were utilised for airlifting joint teams of the NDRF and the SDRF to Kishtwar," Jammu-based Indian Army spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand told news agency PTI.
The helicopters flew a total of eight sorties and transported a relief load of 2,250kg. It also transported 44 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, four medical assistants, and two patients in critical conditions for specialised treatment.
IAF also aided in relief and rescue efforts in Maharashtra during the recent spate of flooding and landslide. An IAF helicopter flew from Ratnagiri and rescued two individuals from flood-affected areas on July 23. The IAF also positioned two Mi-17V5s and two Mi-17s for flood relief operations and kept a helicopter on standby in Pune.