The Arunachal Pradesh government on Wednesday activated emergency air support and, in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF), launched rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit Ki Paniyur district after floods hit Buzha district, facilitating rapid deployment of personnel and equipment of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to the affected locations.
According to the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of Arunachal Pradesh, the state Civil Aviation Department was immediately activated after receiving information about flash floods in Buzha district and was put on standby for rescue and relief operations.
Read also| Heavy rains trigger flash floods in Arunachal; High alert issued in Assam
On the request of the Deputy Commissioner of Ki Paniyur District, the Civil Aviation Department has coordinated with the Eastern Air Command (EAC), Shillong, for air support for the evacuation and deployment of rescue personnel and materials.
The Indian Air Force then launched an air support mission to transport personnel and relief materials of the SDRF from Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) to Betapol in Ki Paniyur district.
The Indian Air Force team, working under the supervision of Colonel R. Malhotra from the Ministry of Defence, and Group Captain Mukesh Chauhan from the Eastern Air Command, successfully reached Hollongi and headed to Betapol despite difficult weather conditions.
An SDRF team and essential rescue materials have been transported to the affected area to support ongoing relief efforts.
Authorities said additional air support operations were planned to meet more requirements as rescue and relief activities continued in the area.
The Civil Aviation and Disaster Management Department expressed its gratitude to the Indian Air Force, SDRF personnel and APD Hollongi for ensuring rapid deployment of air support during the emergency.
The officials also acknowledged the efforts of KPaniyur, Deputy Commissioner Shweta Nagar, Kutu Mehta, district police and disaster management team for providing ground support and coordinating operations despite the difficult conditions on the ground.
