Army mobilises for flood-relief in Maharashtra

New Delhi, July 31 (UNI) Army relief columns, pressed into service in four Maharashtra districts following a flood alarm, have rescued at least 150 people from villages facing the threat.

Army Spokesperson here Colonel SK Sakhuja today said over 200 Army personnel -- comprising four columns and an Engineers Task Force -- had been deployed in the four districts under the 'Aid to Civil Authority' programme after the civil administration sought deployment of flood relief columns in Satara, Sangli, Sholapur and Kolhapur.

The deployment also comprised motorised boats of the Army, recovery vehicles and at least 145 life-jackets, Col Sakhuja said.

Due to heavy rains over the past week, the floodgates of the dams in the water basins of Rivers Krishna and Bhima were opened on July 29 last for controlled discharge -- as a result, floods were anticipated in some downstream areas of the four Maharashtra districts.

UNI DG DG RS1936