Army cell undertakes rescue work in Leh

The Indian Army on Friday activated its disaster management cell to undertake rescue operations on a war-footing across Ladakh region where torrential rains and flash-floods triggered by a cloudburst claimed over 110 lives.

The primary objective of the operations is to save maximum possible life and property from further damage and to extricate stranded civilians from isolated areas, a Defence release said on Friday evening.

The Army has had to suffer losses in the rescue operations which are being conducted in coordination with the civil administration, it said.

More than 15 Army columns have been deployed for rescue purpose. Detachments of the formation located at various places on the highway, too, were activated to provide relief and shelter to stranded civilians and foreign tourists.

All aid was extended to evacuate them to safer areas, using Army vehicles. While the priority of the relief operations of the army is on saving life and property from further damage, succour is being provided in the form of food, drinking water, medicines and other assistance, to the affected, it said.

Dozers and other earth moving equipment of the army were also pressed into operations to clear the slide areas and restore communications at the earliest.