THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The armed forces on Sunday announced a formal end to active rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas, but added medical assistance and other forms of support will continue.
Addressing a joint press conference by the services here, Air Marshal B Suresh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command (SAC), said the post-flood rehabilitation phase has now started, which, essentially, is the responsibility of the state government. “As rehabilitation starts, Army medical teams and IAF mobile hospitals have been deployed in various regions. Kuttanad is still an area under stress. We will continue to support the efforts,’’ he said.
Every aspect of the relief operation will be studied in detail to emerge as a better response force, Suresh said. He declined to comment on the possibility that the simultaneous opening of dams may have caused the floods, but said it was for the government or the KSEB to say.
The armed forces have been actively supporting the government’s rescue and relief efforts since August 8 when they were alerted to the looming disaster. However, the inclement weather, the terrain and topography, the population density and the intensity of operations offered unique challenges. The IAF had christened its mission Operation Karuna, the Navy, Operation Madad, Army, Operation Sahyog and the Coast Guard, Operation Rahat.
This was also one of the most high-intensity relief operations undertaken by the IAF, Suresh said. “Here, everything was packed into a short span of time. But there was close coordination and cooperation from all sides. All agencies worked in unison,” he said. On the first day, IAF flew 10 sorties, but subsequently mobilised more resources including 26 helicopters. On a comparative scale this was the largest disaster-related induction exercise ever conducted in the country in terms of load wherein 1,200 tonnes was airlifted at a short notice, IAF said.
In all, the Army had deployed 70 composite teams which included infantry, engineer task forces and medical units, said Brigadier C G Arun, Commander, Pangode Military Station. “The troops opened roads, cleared landslides and constructed temporary bridges utilising the natural resources available in the area. So far, approximately 26 temporary bridges have been constructed/repaired and approximately 50 roads have been opened/cleared for the general public,” he said.