6000 more rescued from Valley, many still stranded: AOC Upkarjit Singh

Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Upkarjit Singh confirmed here on Saturday that around 6,000 people were rescued from the Kashmir Valley on Friday but many people were still stranded as they wanted to remain in their houses provided they get the required relief material.

"We have flown in about 1,100 tonnes of material into the valley .i.e. both Srinagar and Avantipur put together, and deployed a large number of about 400 people from the police, about another 200 to 300 people from the NDRF and other agencies have also been deployed at various locations where they were required to be. Approximately 6,000 people who were stranded in the city and something like 800 people have been winched out of their houses," Singh said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also ordered to not send any seat of the helicopter empty, Singh informed.

He also stated that their main emphasis on Saturday was on South Kashmir and the city and to also provide relief material to the people.

"Minimum 26 helicopters are available at one time and we are flying maximum out of them. Yesterday the helicopters did 250 sorties and the big transport aircraft did 60. After doing around 310 sorties we brought at least 200 tonne material and 3,400 people were rescued. We made three helipads, two being the main ones and one on standby," said Singh.

He added that the IAF was also helping the rescued people with food, a little bit of medical attention and then sending them wherever they intended to go.

"In the local Kendriya Vidyalaya we have been managing to run a small camp, we have got our own langar going and 10,000 packets of food are being prepared. The intensity of preparations is so high that I have to be very conscious of the fact that the people are flying day in and day out, trying to serve the people of the state and just doing their duty," Singh added.

He also informed that although there was a slight abatement in the water level, a lot of slush had now deposited there.

"Boats from the NDRF and the Army are working out but there is no way that the drainage could cope up with the inflow which is happening so it will take time as half of the city is still submerged," Singh said.

Adding that the station administration was coming in for greater amount of effectiveness and giving them good inputs as to where people were stuck, Singh added that rather than doing a generic drop they were now able to target the food drops to specific places.