Punjab: IAF rescues 46, air-drops 750 kg relief in flood-hit areas; drones deliver food in 9 districts

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], August 29 (ANI): Heavy rainfall has triggered severe flooding across nine districts in Punjab, including Pathankot, Batala, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Hoshiarpur, prompting large-scale relief operations.
Superintendents of Police (SSPs) are actively engaged in coordinating rescue and relief efforts, according to official.
Affected individuals are being evacuated to relief shelters, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) deploying helicopters to rescue stranded citizens and air-drop essential supplies. Drones are also being utilized to deliver food packets to those in inundated areas.
DGP Arpit Shukla stated, "There is a flood situation in 9 districts including Pathankot, Batala, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Hosiyarpur. Our SSPs are engaged in relief operations. The affected persons are being shifted to relief shelters. With the help of the IAF, we are using helicopters to rescue people. Drones are being used to drop food packets to those who are in inundated areas. Seven control rooms are operational. "
Meanwhile, according to PRO Defence Palam, the Relief operations in flood-affected areas are continuing in the Punjab and Jammu regions with helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Western Air Command being used to rescue affected citizens as well as air drop relief material.
According to release issued by Ministry of Defence, IAF helicopters successfully evacuated 46 stranded civilians as flooding intensified. Further, over 750 kilograms of essential relief material was air dropped to support local communities. 38 Army personnel and 10 BSF personnel were rescued by winching them up from the severely hit Dera Baba Nanak region, reflecting the IAF's quick response and professionalism even under perilous conditions. Additional missions towards rescuing affected personnel is ongoing.
On Wednesday, the Punjab government has deployed its entire cabinet to the worst-hit districts to lead rescue and relief operations on the ground to tackle the flood crisis.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has instructed all ministers to remain stationed in flood-affected areas until the situation is entirely under control, signalling the government's zero-tolerance approach to delays in relief work.
The ministers have been tasked with supervising the evacuation of residents, monitoring the supply of essential commodities, and ensuring immediate medical and shelter assistance to those displaced by the rising waters.
Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, while conducting a detailed review of the situation with the Deputy Commissioners of Sangrur and Mansa over a conference call, said, "Our top priority is to save every life and protect every property. No stone should be left unturned in mitigating the hardships faced by the people in flood-hit areas."Several other Cabinet Ministers have also been assigned specific districts to oversee relief efforts. Harbhajan Singh ETO has been supervising operations in Ramdas, Tarn Taran, Sri Goindwal Sahib, and Ajnala. (ANI)