New Delhi, October 4
The central government has dispatched trained personnel and motorised boats to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to help both states in rescue operations against the flash floods and torrential rains during the past few days. According to government officials nearly 700 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel with 173 inflatable motorised boats have been sent to Kurnool Krishna and Mehboobnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh for assisting in rescue and relief operations.
Besides these, a team of 19 personnel trained in water rescue operations and
20 inflatable boats have been sent to Vijaywada (Krishna district), an official announcement said.
For Karnataka, Delhi has rushed 249 NDRF water rescue personnel with 73 inflatable motorised boats to Bagalkote, Raichur, Gadag and Bijapur districts to help the state government’s rescue and relief efforts.
The central government has also moved another contingent of 250 NDRF personnel and 60 inflatable boats from Gandhinagar to Delhi to be kept in readiness to be sent wherever additional personnel and motorboats are required.
Meanwhile the army has deployed seven columns (approx. 700 personnel) as well as three medical teams in Andhra Pradesh, while three army columns and one medical team is assisting rescue and relief efforts in Karnataka, the statement added.
Already 12 diving teams with special boats are aiding operations in Andhra Pradesh, of which four teams are 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 standby in Vishakhapatnam to be deployed in Vijaywada. Two IL-76 aircraft, four AN-32 aircraft and 14 helicopters have been deployed for rescue and relief operations in the affected areas of Andhra and Karnataka.
The central government has also released the first installment of Rs 156.83 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund to Andhra Pradesh and a second installment of the same amount is required to be released in December. Karnataka has received Rs 52.26 crore as the first installment of the central share of the fund and an equal amount is due in December.
