Sangli/ Kolhapur: A total of 51 teams in Sangli district and 53 in Kolhapur district have been deployed by the Armed Forces and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue operations in the flood-affected areas.
The Indian Navy mobilised 12 Emergency Response (ER) Teams equipped with several rubber inflatable boats in Angliwadi, Haripur, Akashwani, Kolhapur Road, Gaon Bhag and Irwin Bridge areas of Sangli district.
“Despite receding water levels and strong currents making it difficult for boats to operate, the teams rescued around 2,200 citizens, mostly women, children and senior citizens. Considering the lack of basic amenities, such as food and clean water to the local populace, the ER Teams distributed drinking water, packed meals, milk packets and medical supplies to stranded citizens,” Navy officials said.
According to the Indian Air Force (IAF), aircraft assets of South Western Air Command (SWAC) continued Humanitarian Assistance And Disaster Relief (HADR) missions in Kolhapur on Sunday by positioning 1,700 kgs of specialist life saving drugs and medicines along with 22 personnel from the Army Medical Corps from Pune air base by two Avro aircraft.
State government officials of Gujarat and Maharashtra are in touch with HQ SWAC in assessing the flood situation and forwarding relief measures undertaken by IAF. Kolhapur and Sangli and Belgaum in Karnataka continue to be a hub in creating an air bridge for positioning all major HADR team.
Helicopters are being employed swiftly from these places to rescue marooned people. HQ SWAC is monitoring the situation and has deployed air assets at Pune, Mumbai, Baroda and Jamnagar with other air bases in the Command kept on standby.
