Over 1,25,000 people have been rescued so far by the Armed Forces and National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) from different areas in the ongoing rescue and relief operations across the flood ravaged Jammu & Kashmir. See full coverage here ALSO READ: Harmony amid despair- A mosque in Kashmir gives shelter to Hindus displaced by floods Eighty nine transport aircraft and helicopters of Indian Air Force and Army Aviation Corps have been pressed into service. These are apart from the nearly 30,000 troops deployed by Army for rescue and relief operations, said the Udhampur based Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel S D Goswami. Of these, nearly 21,000 troops are deployed in the Valley and 9,000 troops in Jammu province. So far, troops have airdropped and distributed 2.98 lakh litres of water, 31,500 food packets and over 533 tonnes cooked food in the flood-affected areas, besides 8,200 blankets and 1,000 tents, he added. ALSO READ: ‘Within 2-3 minutes, village vanished under the landslide’ While 80 medical teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services are already operating in full swing, four Field Hospitals have been established in Avantipur, Pattan, Anantnag and Old Airfield where medical aid is being provided to the ailing people, Goswami said, adding that till now they have treated more than 21,500 patients. ALSO READ: 200 feared dead in Jammu alone One more fully equipped field hospital from Bathinda is on its way to Srinagar and 19 tonnes medicines and other health care materials are also being transported from Delhi to the flood affected area, he said, adding that more relief materials including blankets, water bottles and food packets are being airlifted from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Patna, Amritsar and Chandigarh. So far 1379 sorties were undertaken by the helicopters and aircraft of Armed Forces. 1799 tonnes of relief materials were dropped by the Indian Air Force. A third batch of Naval Marine Commandos with Rubberised Inflatable Craft (Geminis), Out Board Motors (OBMs), Compressors, Diving sets and satellite phones arrived in Srinagar on Thursday to support the rescue operations. Keeping in view of the urgent requirement for more boats in the rescue operation, Army has deployed 90 more boats in Srinagar and adjoining areas. A total of 224 boats of Army and 148 NDRF’s inflatable boats are actively involved in the rescue operation, he said, adding that the Armed Forces have also established 19 relief camps in Srinagar and Jammu region. In Srinagar, camps were established at BB Cantt, Avantipur, Old Airfield, Sumbal, Chattargam and Jijamata Mandir, where thousands of rescued people are being sheltered. They are also being provided with food and other basic amenities. Thirteen tonnes of water purifying tablets and six water filtration plants with a capacity to filter 1.2 lakh bottles per day has already reached Srinagar. Two water purification plants and 7 lakhs chlorine tablets are being sent on Friday from Delhi. Engineering stores including suction pumps from Vishakhapatnam are also being sent to flood affected area, while communication equipment of Department of Telecommunication, Army, BSNL and some of private companies have been dispatched to restore the communication systems in the State. To meet the immediate energy requirement, 22,000 litres of fuel from Ambala have been transported to the valley, the Defence Ministry spokesman said. To restore the road connectivity, five task forces of Border Roads Organisation which include 5700 personnel, have been pressed into service. As of now, they have restored the road connectivity from Batote – Kishtwar, Kishtwar - Sinthan Pass and Sinthan Pass - Anantnag. Jammu - Poonch road has been cleared for traffic. On the Jammu – Srinagar highway, BRO personnel have cleared the road up to KM 172 at Ramsoo.
