New Delhi: Centre has rushed trained
personnel and motorised boats to help rescue operations in
parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh which have witnessed the
fury of the retreating monsoon over the past couple of days.
As many as 694 trained personnel of the National
Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with 173 inflatable
motorised boats have been deployed in Kurnool, Krishna and
Mehboob Nagar districts of Andhra Pradesh for rescue and
relief operations.
In addition, a team of 19 water rescue trained
personnel and 20 inflatable boats from Palam airbase were
airlifted today to Vijaywada (Krishna district), an official
release said.
In Karnataka, the Centre has dispatched 249 NDRF water
rescue personnel along with 73 inflatable motorised boats in
Bagalkote, Raichur, Gadag and Bijapur districts for rescue
and relief operations.
In addition, 250 water rescue trained personnel and 60
inflatable boats of NDRF from Gandhinagar have been kept
ready to be airlifted based on the operational requirement
and availability of aircraft, it said.
The army has deployed seven columns (approximately 700
personnel), three medical teams in Andhra Pradesh, while
three army columns and one medical team is assisting rescue
and relief efforts in Karnataka.
Twelve diving teams along with special boats have been
aiding operations in Andhra Pradesh, while additional four
teams have been deployed in Vijaywada.
In Gadag and Karwar districts of Karnataka, four
diving teams are aiding relief operations while an additional
22-member contingent is also deployed in Karwar.
Five naval helicopters are on stand by at
Vishakhapatnam to be deployed at Vijaywada.
Two IL-76 aircraft, four AN-32 aircraft and 14
helicopters are deployed for rescue and relief operations in
the affected areas of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Centre has already released the first instalment of Rs
156.83 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund to Andhra Pradesh
and a second instalment of the same amount is required to be
released in December.
Karnataka has already received Rs 52.26 crore as the
first instalment of Central share of the Calamity Relief Fund
and an equal amount is due in December.
Senior Home Ministry officials are in constant touch
with state authorities and other agencies and the situation is
being monitored on round-the-clock basis.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, October 04, 2009, 20:20