Army comes to aid of flood-hit Mah, Guj and AP

Pune, Aug 9 (UNI) The Indian Army has risen to the aid of flood-affected people in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh as heavy rains caused havoc at several places in these states since the last week.

Brig P B Charak, of the army's Southern Command, told reporters here today that 650 soldiers have been deployed to assist the civil administration in all the three States and to evacuate marooned people and families.

He said the monsoon first caused the flood situation on July 29 in the Krishna basin in South Maharashtra. Heavy rains in catchment areas resulted in all the dams in the region flowing above danger level and the Government was forced to release water in a controlled manner from all the reservoirs in the region.

He said as a precautionary measure, Army columns were called out at Satara, Sangli, Sholapur and Kolhapur districts. Army columns equipped with boats, life jackets and medical teams were immediately moved to these districts.

As the situation was stabilising in South Maharashtra, the heavy rains in the Marathwada region on August 5 and 6 caused floods in the Godavari basin and a total of 12 districts were affected, the worst hit being Nanded. Army was rushed in the affected areas, Brig Charak said.

The flood-affected districts are - Nanded, Buldana, Jalna, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Aurangabad, Parbhani, Hingoli, Yawatmal, Washim, Akola and Nandurbar. At present, a total 650 Army personnel, including engineer teams with 24 boats and medical teams are arriying out rescue and relief operations.

He said on July 7 heavy rains and release of water from Ujani dam caused an unprecedented flood situation in Surat city of Gujarat. Army columns were rushed in from Vadodara to help in relief operations. The troops also commenced rescue and relief operations yesterday in the diamond city as the situation there is critical. A total 720 troops, 24 boats, life jackets and medical teams are working round-the-clock there, he added.

UNI DWN/SP GK VD BST1750