15 Punjab Regiment soldiers rescued 70 civilians in flooding

Soldiers of the Indian Army's 15 Punjab Regiment rescued as many as 70 civilians during flooding in adjoining Thane district last week, a senior official said on Friday.

The local civil administration had requisitioned the army for rescuing civilians from the flooded petrol pump at Kamba in Kalyan, the official said.

"These people had been stranded for about 8-10 hours when the army was alerted. The infantry battalion at Colaba in south Mumbai was tasked with the rescue efforts," the official said.

The army unit launched two rescue and relief columns of three officers, two JCOs and 65 other ranks and managed to reach the site quickly and contact the stranded persons.

"A number of boat missions were launched. In all, about 70 civilians were rescued and food and medicine were distributed to around 250 civilians," the official said.

The unit also assisted other agencies to coordinate the flood relief operations, he said, adding local citizens of Kalyan thanked the battalion for the flood relief efforts.

On July 28, an Indian Air Force helicopter airlifted nine people who were stranded on the roof of a petrol station at Kamba village on Kalyan-Murbad Road and dropped them off at Santacruz airport in Mumbai.