J&K floods: Heroic rescue operations by Army, IAF (Pics)

Published: Thursday, September 11, 2014, 14:06 [IST]

Srinagar, September 11: "Indian Army will not move back to the barracks till the last man is brought to safety" Gen Dalbir Singh, Chief of the Army Staff had said on Monday.

The Indian army soldiers and Indian Air Force have done a heroic job by rescuing around 80,000 flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir.

A source-based in Jammu told OneIndia that "jawans and IAF officials are effortlessly doing their best in carrying out the rescue and relief operations, even without caring their own family members."

"Flood relief columns of Army are working tirelessly, risking their lives to help those trapped", the source said.

The armed forces continued their coordinated efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, rescuing over 80,000 people so far as the toll in the state's worst flood in six decades reached 215.

On Thursday, over four lakh people are still marooned here as the flood waters continued to recede in river Jhelum and its tributaries, bringing relief to the flood-hit Kashmir Valley.

More navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been flown into the Valley to help the ongoing rescue operations in the city.

A total of 82,000 people have been pulled out in a continuing multi-agency mammoth operation even as an estimated five to six lakh people still waited for help after floods ravaged Jammu and Kashmir.

Let's see some of the pics that priove the the heroic tale of the brave army:

No food, water for army families

There are many relief camps in Kashmir, where the family members of army jawans have taken shelter, but there is no supply of food and water for them.

Homeless families, Submerged Badamibagh cantonment

Army on Monday rescued 1400 of its personnel and their families caught in flood waters in its headquarters at Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar. The cantonment along with areas of Shivpora and Indranagar in Srinagar were submerged as the water level rose as high as 18 feet due to breach in the Jhelum River.

No phone connectivity, no power supply, no water

Mobile coverage was patchy across the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir while there was no Internet connectivity. Mobiles went on the blink as private telecom service providers said their towers were badly damaged.

Waters entered the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) headquarters on Maulana Azad Road, forcing its closure. There was no internet connectivity in the Kashmir Valley. The only communication tool still up and running is the police wireless system.

Water enters in Relief camps

Water entered into relief camps located in Srinagar and South Kashmir, that further escalated the flood woes.

79 aircrafts deployed so far

This is the biggest rescue operation carried out by the IAF and army in the flood-hit Kashmir Valley so far. IAF has deployed 79 aircrafts and helicopters into action.

IAF choppers and transport aircraft undertook several sorties as relief work was extended for the first time to South Kashmir.

IL-76, AN-32, MI-17, Dhruv Helicopter deployed for rescue

In the massive rescue operations, the IAF has deployed Gajraj IL-76, transport aircraft AN-32 and MI-17 where as the army has deployed its Dhruv Helicopter.

Risking their own lives, Unabated sorties

The IAF has carried out 186 sorties where as the army has carried 150 sorties so far to help the marooned people.

Mammoth multi-agency rescue efforts were underway in Jammu and Kashmir to rescue lakhs of people trapped in the flood- ravaged areas, with IAF choppers and transport aircraft undertaking non-stop sorties overnight to carry men and relief material to submerged parts.