Orissa floods: Antony asks IAF to provide full support

Defence minister AK Antony has asked the Indian Air Force to provide full support to Orissa government's requirement for deployment of choppers in flood relief operations in the state.

Defence minister AK Antony has asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to provide full support to Orissa government's requirement for deployment of choppers in flood
relief operations in the state.

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"The Defence Minister asked the IAF to provide full support to the state government's requirement for helicopters to provide relief to the affected people," defence ministry officials said in New Delhi.

The IAF has already deployed seven Mi-17 choppers along with Navy's Seaking and Cheetah helicopters for the relief operations, they said.

However, due to heavy rains and inclement weather, only two of the seven Mi-17 choppers could takeoff on Sunday.

The relief work will continue on Monday.

With the flood situation in northern Orissa worsening, the state government today intensified air-dropping of food packets as 3003 villages remained marooned, while the death toll climbed to 11.

More than 2,000 villages had been inundated overnight, said Orissa Revenue and disaster management minister SN Patro, adding the death toll mounted to 11 after five more
persons were swept away in flood waters.