Srinagar, 7 September 2014: The State of Jammu & Kashmir has experienced torrential rains since last one week. Armed Forces are carrying out flood relief and rescue operations in the entire State in heavy rains and extremely bad weather conditions.
130 Army columns have been deployed rescuing more than 14800 people so far. 50 Army Medical Teams have also been deployed in along with these columns to provide immediate medical assistance to the injured and sick people. Air Force has deployed 16 Medium Lift Helicopters, 9 Light Helicopters and 7 Transport Aircraft for the rescue and flood relief operations. Six NDRF Teams equipped with boats and other flood relief stores and equipment were airlifted by Air Force from Delhi, Bathinda, Pune and Ahmedabad to Srinagar and Avantipur. An Air Force Rapid Action Medical Team was also flown in from Delhi by a C-17 aircraft for augmenting the medical support in Avantipur. An Army Engineer Task Force was airlifted from Adampur to Srinagar by a C-130J aircraft. Arrangements have been made for airlifting 10,000 blankets and 3000 tents from stores of the Armed Forces at Kanpur to the affected areas. In addition, 85 Tons of medicines provided under the aegis of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Red Cross are being airlifted from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir by an IL-76 aircraft. In all 30 sorties were flown by Air Force transport aircraft and helicopters today airlifting about 110 Ton load and evacuating more than 160 civilians.
The relief efforts are being coordinated by HQ Northern Command in consultation with the Advance Air HQ in Udhampur. The situation is being reviewed and monitored regularly by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff at HQ IDS with Army and Air Force Operations Directorates.
After reviewing the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has instructed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to send 5 more columns immediately to the flood affected areas. The Home Minister has also directed the ministry to despatch around 70 boats to Jammu and Kashmir today itself for rescue operations.
Control Rooms have been set up at Srinagar, Jammu and New Delhi to actively monitor and coordinate the rescue and relief operations in the state. Rajnath Singh has also appealed to all social organisations and NGOs to mobilise their resources to flood affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Flood Control Room No.- New Delhi J&K House (011)-24611210 and 24611108, Srinagar-0194-2452138 and Jammu-0191-2560401.
MHA Control Room Numbers for help and assistance in J&K 011- 23093054, 23092763, 23092923, 23092885, 23093566, 23093563.
