More NDRF teams, 4 copters reach flood-hit Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Four more teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with four helicopters reached Vijayawada on Tuesday to join rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas.

A total of 120 NDRF personnel from Pune reached Gannavaram Airport with four helicopters and motorboats.

Six helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy were already deployed in the city for rescue and relief operations.

The helicopters were not only airlifting stranded people from flooded areas but were also airdropping food and other essentials in the affected localities.

Officials said 172 boats were also deployed for supplying food and water to stranded people. In areas where boats can’t reach, drones were used to supply food and water packets.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu continued to stay in Vijayawada to supervise rescue and relief works.

Ministers, MLAs and officials were also participating in the relief measures in Vijayawada and other affected areas of NTR and Krishna districts.

State education minister Nara Lokesh along with civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu was coordinating the relief operations.

Ministers, IAS and IPS officers were assigned responsibilities of various wards to supply food, water, milk, biscuits, and fruits to people in flooded localities.

Minister for roads and buildings B C Janardhan Reddy drove tractor to reach the flood-affected neighbourhoods for distributing food and water packets.

Home minister V Anitha was seen visiting inundated colonies to distribute food and other relief materials.

As many as 26 teams of the NDRF and 21 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were already carrying out rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit areas.

According to officials of the Disaster Management Department, NDRF teams airlifted 240 persons and dropped 40 tonnes of food items. The helicopters of the IAF and Navy were used to airlift 22 people stranded in flood-affected areas and drop 7,070 kg of food items. Officials said 22 teams each of NDRF and SDRF were deployed in Vijayawada and other parts of NTR, the worst-affected district.

Heavy rains and floods since Saturday have claimed 17 lives while two persons were missing.

The floods affected 4.15 lakh people. Over 43,000 people were shifted to 163 relief camps in NTR, Guntur, Krishna, Eluru, Palnadu, Bapatla and Prakasam districts.

A total of 228 boats (174 motorised and 54 non-motorised) were arranged to evacuate people from inundated areas. As many as 315 active swimmers were engaged along with boats for rescue operations.