Pulling out great efforts, Defence Ministry carries out massive rescue and relief operations in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, August 16: With Kerala witnessing one of the most horrifying and horrendous rainfall is obscuring the entire state in flood. As the state is trying its level best rescue and relief operations, the Central government has also extended all possible assistance.

With the Defence Ministry liberating people stranded in parts of the state, the Centre has now has launched a massive rescue and relief operation in Kerala setting up a Cabinet Secretary high-level meeting with the Cabinet Sectretary on the instructions of the Prime Minister. The Army, Navy, IAF and Coast Guard and NDRF have been asked to mobilise additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations.

Being aware of the worsening condition in Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet mentioned about visiting the state later this evening.

The Defence currently is undertaking this massive rescue camp wherein a flight diver Amit rescues a small child from Aluva. It is quite appreciating to the armed forces for their intensive work in rescuing the stranded people and also helping them come out of this massive disaster.

Cabinet Secretary took stock of the situation, preparedness, and rescue and relief operations and directed that immediate and continued assistance be provided to Kerala to meet this crisis. Government of India is fully supporting the State of Kerala and the Cabinet Secretary also directed that relief material including supply of drinking water, dry food packets and powdered milk should also be made available to Kerala.

For proper reservoir management in Mullaperiyar Dam, Cabinet Secretary constituted a Committee chaired by Chairman, Central Water Commission and Engineers-in-Chief of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

As of now, 18 teams of NDRF, 9 columns and 8 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETC) of the Army, 22 teams of Coast Guard, 24 diving teams of Navy along with helicopters, aircrafts, boats, equipment, life buoys, life jackets, etc., have been dispatched to assist Kerala in rescue operations as well as evacuation of stranded people.

Besides this, medical assistance is also being provided by NDRF, Army, Navy including in special medical camps. So far, 2,182 persons have been rescued, 968 stranded people have been evacuated through prompt action of NDRF, Army and Navy.