Bihar floods: Three IAF choppers airdrop food packets in affected districts

PATNA: Three choppers of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which joined the relief operations in flood-affected north Bihar districts on Saturday, airdropped food packets in remote and inaccessible areas of Darbhanga, East Champaran, Madhubani and Gopalganj on Sunday.

Defence ministry public relations officer (Prayagraj region) Shailendra Pandey told TOI over phone that two Mi-17 helicopters are operating from Darbhanga IAF base and one from Bihta in Patna.

“At least 18.1 tonnes of food packets were airdropped on the first day of operation on Saturday,” he said.

State disaster management department principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit said IAF choppers said all three choppers were being used to carry out relief operations. “On Sunday, six sorties were made for Gopalganj, three for Motihari and two for Darbhanga. Inclement weather in Darbhanga didn’t allow further sorties,” he added.

“Food packets were airdropped at Devapur and Bhaghichi in Gopalganj and Sangrampur in East Champaran. In Darbhanga, food packets were airdropped in Sadar area, Kevati and Kusheshwarsthan,” Amrit said.

He added 2.5kg of staple rice, half kilogram of sugar or jaggery, 1kg chana, six candles and matchboxes form a food packet. “ORS powder packets were also included in food packets in Darbhanga,” he said.

Amrit said now 11 north Bihar districts are affected by floods with Saran being the latest inclusion. “The disaster management department is watchful as another alert for heavy showers has been sounded by Indian Meteorological Department for Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Supaul and other districts bordering Nepal on July 28 and July 29,” he said, adding more than 472 community kitchens were running in the flood-hit districts.

Meanwhile, NDRF’s 9th battalion commandant Vijay Sinha said 31 villagers were rescued from Sonwaliya village in Baikunthpur block of Gopalganj on Sunday after the area was suddenly inundated by the Gandak.

“The villagers taking shelter on top of two houses, one of which had tilted due to soil erosion. The NDRF personnel spotted them after a villager flashed cellphone light on Saturday night,” he said, adding the rescue operation began at 11pm on Saturday and continued till 5am on Sunday.

The commandant said at least 40 people were rescued from a country-made boat whose engine failed and got stuck in fast current of the Gandak at Bhawanipur village under Sangrampur block in East Champaran district on Saturday.

“Around 4,900 flood-affected people of Gopalganj, East Champaran, West Champaran, Darbhanga, Supaul and Saran districts have so far been recused by the NDRF personnel,” Sinha said.