The IAF airlifted a team of Indian disaster management experts to Nepal for clearing the landslide in Kosi river, which is threatening to cause floods in Bihar. The IAF has also deployed six helicopters in Bihar for rescue operations where as the Army has deployed 500 troops and kept same number as standby in case of any emergency.
With the Government gearing up to face the situation, National Crisis Management Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth took stock of preparedness here on Monday.
Seth also held a video conference with Chief Secretary of Bihar and other State Government officials to review the situation.
A C-130J Super Hercules aircraft carried out a night landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Saturday carrying a team of Geological Survey of India, Central Water Commission and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) there to assist the Nepalese Army in clearing the landslide in a calibrated manner.
The aircraft was launched at a short notice on the instructions issued by the Cabinet Secretariat to provide help to Nepal in handling the flood situation, IAF officials said here on Monday.
Besides this, a C-17 heavy transport aircraft ferried 30 IAF personnel and a team of 20 doctors from Safdarjung and Ram Manohar lohis Hospitals, Delhi to Purnea, Bihar on Monday for setting an emergency field hospital there. The hospital can cater to more than 1,300 patients and the plane also ferried tons of medicines and other medical equipment, they said.
Moreover, four MI-17 helicopters and two Chetak light helicopters were now stationed at Purnea while two more MI-17s deployed in Gorakhpur, officials said adding one Il-76 transport aircraft and two AN-32 medium transport aircraft were in standby mode in Chandigarh and Agra respectively for immediate response.
A communication centre was also set up in Purnea on Sunday after the required equipment along with trained technical personnel were airlifted there from various parts of the country to ensure seamless communication with all the stake-holders in disaster relief.
The Centre is providing all possible help to the State Government and 19 teams of NDRF and State Disaster Response Force deployed for rescue and relief operation. 15 diving teams of the Navy are in readiness at Vishakhapattanam.
NDRF teams equipped with boats and other flood rescue equipment are positioned at Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Khagaria, Madhubani and Drabhanga districts to provide immediate response.