Air Force distributes relief material for flood affected areas in J-K

As rescue operations in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir continue in full swing, the Indian Air Force today distributed relief material in the affected areas.

Jammu's Divisional Commissioner (DC) Shantmanu said, "Till yesterday our entire focus was on rescue only but from today we are also supplying relief material. We are providing food packets, medicines and water. At most of the places, we could give these things only via chopper because connectivity over land is not possible at various areas."

He added that the areas of Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu are worst affected, but was optimistic due to the weather clearing up and the sun emerging after six days of continuous rainfall, due to which, the water level has come down.

Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit earlier today, the DC said, "The Prime Minister took detailed information from the civil administration, the Army, the Air Force and the BSF as to what all they are doing. He also said that whatever help is required from the Indian government, be it financial help or any kind of manpower related, it would be provided."

Shantmanu also said that Prime Minister Modi had given suggestions as to how to prevent diseases from spreading and gave assurances to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Governor NN Vohra from the Indian government.

Air Commodore Prashant Patange said, "Since morning relief material of around 10 tones has already been dropped at different places, and we will continue to do so as the civil administration will keep providing more of it and also informing of the priority areas."

"Our helicopters are standing by and we are ready to provide all the required help," he added.

Patange also informed the media that he had asked the DC also to bring relief material soon so that more of it could be air lifted and provided to the affected.

Assuring of maximum efforts from the Air Force in the relief operations, Patange said, "We have deployed Four IN76, twelve AN 32s, 26 helicopters, five C130s, two C17 aircrafts. Efforts of the Air Force are going on at a massive scale, relief material is being picked from several places, blankets and medicines are also provided. We have already delivered 86 tones of medicines. A plane carrying blankets and tents has already taken off from Kanpur and is bringing the entire material."

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi, who visited Jammu and Kashmir for a first-hand assessment of the situation arising out of incessant rain and floods in the state, offered his help to Pakistan to assist in the relief work in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

He was earlier on Saturday briefed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the extent of damage caused by the floods in Jammu and Kashmir and the suffering that the people were undergoing there.

In view of the seriousness of the situation, the Prime Minister had held a crisis review meeting with the Cabinet Secretary and other senior officials.

The Prime Minister called upon other states to also pitch in with relief assistance in whatever way they could.

Prime Minister Modi further said planes bringing relief material to the state would airlift stranded tourists.