Rupesh Samant
Vasco, Aug 13: In a major operation that went on for seven days, Indian Navy rescued more than 14,000 people from three states namely Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, while the rescue operations are still on, a senior naval official said.
The operations ‘Varsha Rahat’ was conducted using Advanced Light Helicopters and also boats to reach the marooned people and rescue them to safety.
Real Admiral Philipose Pynumootie, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Region (FOGA) told reporters in Vasco on Tuesday that forty one teams were deployed by Indian Navy in difficult terrain and weather conditions in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.
During one of the historic operations held in this area since the last three decades, the teams rescued 11,124 people from Maharashtra and Goa and 3,115 from Karnataka’s flood affected areas, he said.
Providing help to the stranded people, the Indian Navy’s aircrafts air dropped 1,305 kg of relief material in Karnataka and 1,890 kg in Maharashtra helping around 5,000 flood hit victims, he said.
The Naval teams were deployed at Kolhapur, Sangli in Maharashtra and Belgaum and Hampi in Karnataka besides the villages of Mapusa, Pernem, Karnali and Narela in Goa.
He said that as part of operation Varsha Rahat, the Goa Naval area deployed a total six teams comprising 40 personnel since the last seven days including three officers and 23 divers who were airlifted to Kolhapur in adverse weather conditions and 12 divers were deployed in north Goa.
A total of 17 helicopter sorties for a duration of 34 hours were undertaken since August 7 at Belgaum and surrounding areas, he said, adding that a total of 2,517 people were rescued by Goa teams of which 138 marooned people were saved by Advanced Light Helicopter. Also, seven sorties were undertaken by Dornier Aircraft to support relief operation.
Pynumootie said that in the areas of Kolhapur, the airport which is situated at a height was used as a base for rescue operation in surrounding areas. “The proximity of flood affected areas to the naval base in Goa helped in quick response due to which the teams reached in record time,” he said.