FLOODS –2019:
In 2019, during monsoon season, state of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal experienced massive floods. The rains submerged roads and cut off several villages from rest of the state. Pre-positioned teams of NDRF immediately swung into action and carried out flood rescue operations with full zeal and commitment.
During this year NDRF had made its highest ever deployment in Maharashtra State and deputed its 32 teams in Maharashtra. Teams of NDRF deployed in various flood affected sates, successfully rescued 15923 persons, evacuated 83039 persons & 617 live-stocks and further shifted them to safer places, retrieved 197 dead bodies. In addition, teams also provided medical assistance to 23869 persons & 795 livestock and assisted state authorities in distribution of relief materials.
a) MAHARASHTRA FLOODS :
During the month of July & August, 2019, continuous heavy rains raised the water level and created flood like situations due to release of water from all major dams. As per the requisition of Mantralaya Mumbai, MH, NDRF deployed its 32 teams in the state at Kohlapur, Sangli, Mumbai, Kalyan (Thane), Palghar, Raigad, Dhule, Sindhudurg, Nashik, Nagpur and Pune. Teams of NDRF conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and rescued 14169 persons, evacuated 24091 persons and 40 livestock and retrieved 25 dead bodies. NDRF teams also provided medical assistance to 1596 needy persons.
Rescue & Evacuation ops from Mahalaxmi Express:
In the month of July, 2019, on 27.07.2019, Heavy rainfall in Mumbai & Thane resulted in flood-like situation in several low lying areas and severely affecting road, air, and rail traffic. Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express, with passengers on board, was halted due to waterlogging on the railway track between Badlapur and Vangani in Maharashtra. Immediately one team rushed to the incident site from nearest Base RRC Mumbai and 02 more teams were mobilized from BHQ Pune for speedy evacuation of the stranded passengers. The route of the incident site was full of mud and was obstructing the access of NDRF vehicles to incident site. NDRF teams de boarded their boats & rescue equipment and carried it on their shoulders towards the incident site. After overcoming all these difficulties, teams reached the incident site and launched the rescue/evacuation operation. During the rescue operations teams evacuated 550 stranded persons to safer places.
b) BIHAR FLOODS : During the month of July, August & September, 2019 as per the IMD forecast of heavy rainfall and flood like situation and increasing of water level of river Ganga. 20 teams of NDRF were deployed at Patna, Sitamarhi, Katihar, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Araria, Supaul, Gopalganj, Bettiah, Motihari, Buxar, Bhagulpur, Chhapra, Vaishali, Bakhtiyarpur, Begusarai, Kishanganj & Purnia. NDRF teams carried out rescue/evacuation operations and rescued 03 persons, evacuated 17704 persons & 46 livestock and retrieved 60 dead bodies. Teams organized medical camp and provided medical assistance to 9995 flood affected persons. Teams also assisted civil administration in distribution relief materials.
c) GUJARAT FLOODS : In the first week of August, 2019, due to incessant rains across the state, several rivers overflowed that led to the water logging in several parts of Gujarat. The sudden increase of water left many people stranded. As per requisition of State Government of Gujarat, NDRF deployed its 23 teams, out of which 05 teams were airlifted (from Ex 05 Bn NDRF Pune, MH) in the State at Gandhinagar, Girsomnath, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Patan, Aravali, Dahod, Valsad, Surat, Palanpur (Banaskantha) & Navsari. NDRF teams conducted non-stop rescue, evacuation and relief operations. During the operation NDRF teams rescued 551 persons, evacuated 4344 persons & 62 livestock and retrieved 11 dead bodies. NDRF teams also provided medical assistance to 2853 needy persons.
d) ASSAM FLOODS : In the month of July, 2019 the Southwest Monsoon covered most parts of Northeast India. In view of above and as per the requisition of State Government of Assam, 19 teams of NDRF were deployed at Dhemaji, Morigaon, Golaghat, Guwahati, Sivasagar, Cachar, Barpeta, Sadiya Tinsukia, Baksa, Kamrup Rural, Sonitpur, Jorhat, Bongaigaon, Udalguri, Dhubri & South Salmara and promptly swung into action and brought normalcy in the worst affected areas of the Assam State. Due to prompt and specialized response by NDRF, teams rescued 14 persons, evacuated 9853 persons & 47 livestock and retrieved 13 dead bodies. NDRF teams also provided medical assistance to 6062 needy persons & 795 livestock.
e) ANDHRA PRADESH : During the month of August, 2019, continuous downpour Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh raised the water level of many water bodies. 10 teams of NDRF immediately rushed to the affected areas from its pre-positioning locations & BHQ and deployed at Vishakapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishana and Guntur. During the deployment, teams conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and rescued 24 persons, evacuated 2536 persons & 76 livestock to safer places and retrieved 06 dead bodies.
f) KARNATAKA : Due to heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of Krishna basin and rise of water level in Krishna river and its tributaries and subsequently release of water from Almati and Narayanpura dams some of the districts of Karnataka were flooded. NDRF deployed its 20 teams, out of which 09 teams were airlifted (from Ex 02 Bn NDRF Kolkata, WB & Ex 08 Bn NDRF Ghaziabad, UP) in the State at Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kodagu, Dakshin Kannada, Bagalkot, Gadag, Koppal, Dharwad, Raichur and Shimoga. NDRF teams conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and rescued 443 persons, evacuated 9306 persons & 82 livestock to safer places and retrieved 09 dead bodies.
g) MADHYA PRADESH : During the month of September, 2019, due to heavy rains and release of water from the Gandhi Sagar dam and Kota barrage, the State of Madhya Pradesh witnessed flood like situation. NDRF deployed its 07 teams in the state at Dhar, Barwani, Bhopal, Dewas, Vidisha, Jabalpur Ratlam, Neemuch, Mandsaur & Morena. Teams conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and rescued 204 persons, evacuated 720 persons & 22 livestock to safer places.
h) PUNJAB : During the month of August, 2019, due to heavy rains in the hilly region of north Indian state and rise of water level of all major rivers including Sutlej and release of water from the dams, some of the district of Punjab got flood affected. In view of flood like situation, 13 teams of NDRF were deployed in the state at Ludhiana, Roopnagar, SBS Nagar, Firozpur, Jallandhar, Kapurthala, Taran Taran & Moga. During the deployment teams conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and evacuated 5330 persons & 96 livestock to safer places and retrieved 01 dead body. NDRF teams also provided medical assistance to 114 needy persons.
i) UTTAR PRADESH : During the month of August & September, 2019, due to heavy rains in the hilly region of north Indian state and rise of water level of river Ganga, there were water logging in the low lying areas in the districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. In view of flood like situation in the state, NDRF deployed its 09 teams at Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi Ghat, Sravasti, Lakhimpur Khiri, Sidharthnagar, Prayagraj, Balia, Etawah Gazipur, Jalaun, Kushinagar and Hamirpur. During the flood rescue operations teams rescued 43 persons, evacuated 2931 persons & 21 livestock to safer places. Teams also provided medical assistance to 552 needy persons.
j) TRIPURA : During the second week in the month of June, 2019, due to heavy rains in the hilly region of North-Eastern part of India, the state of Tripura witnessed flood like situation. NDRF deployed its 03 teams at Unakoti and Agartala for flood rescue/evacuation operation. Teams conducted flood rescue/evacuation operations and evacuated 1185 persons & 25 livestock for safer places and retrieved 01 dead body.
