Six IAF planes with relief materials land in Leh

Six Indian Air Force aircraft carrying relief material, rescue workers and doctors landed in Leh on Saturday to provide succour to the people of the region affected by cloudburst and flash floods.

Two IL-76 and four An-32 aircraft from Chandigarh landed at the Leh airport on Saturday afternoon with 125 rescue and relief personnel of National Disaster Response Force, medicines, generators, tents and emergency rescue kits, a defence spokesman said.

Two teams from Health and Family Welfare Ministry comprising specialist doctors and surgeons from Delhi also reached the flood ravaged town of Jammu and Kashmir.

They have brought five tons of medicines with them. One of IL-76 aircraft had earlier left from Delhi for Leh but failed to land due to inclement weather and returned to Chandigarh.

A second IL-76 transport aircraft along with four An-32 aircraft had left from Chandigarh, but had to return. The aircraft landed in their second attempt.

Army personnel along with jawans of Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been deployed in the affected areas to carry out relief and rescue operations, the spokesman said.

So far 291 injured civilians and tourists have been admitted to the military hospital at Leh and 94 persons discharged after treatment, he said.

IAF has agreed to carry bodies of foreign tourists and non-locals to Delhi by air. The Chief Controller (Research and Development) DRDO, W Selvamurthy, along with a team of experts also arrived in Leh.

The aircraft carried blankets, dry food, medicine and other items to meet the immediate requirement of those affected.

Adequate number of aircraft and helicopters are available at Kargil, Chandigarh and Udhampur to move to Leh, the defence spokesman said.

Air Force has opened a disaster management cell at Chandigarh, consisting of three senior officers including medical officers.