IAF chopper arrives in Kothagudem for relief operations in flood affected areas

Kothagudem: An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter arrived in Kothagudem during afternoon hours on Saturday to carry out relief measures in flood affected areas on the banks of river Godavari in the district.

The IAF arranged the chopper for the relief operations following a request by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao as Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, who camped at Bhadrachalam at the directions of the Chief Minister, apprised the latter about the grim flood situation in Bhadrachalam, Aswapuram, Pinapaka, Dummugudem, Cherla and Manugur mandals in the district.
Ajay Kumar told Telangana Today that the chopper would be engaged to airdrop essential commodities for the use of residents in waterlogged villages in Cherla and Dummugudem mandals and would assist the ground teams in rescue operations if required.

At present the chopper has been landed at Prakasam Stadium in Kothagudem. Two helipads at Bhadrachalam and at ITC factory were readied for the helicopter to carry out its operations.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in river Godavari at Bhadrachalam has been abating slowly and water level came down to below the 70 feet mark. The water level recorded at 2 pm was 69.90 feet with a discharge of 23.70 lakh cusecs.

Though the water level was falling down the district administration, police and flood duty officers were on high alert as the river was flowing above the danger level of 53 feet. The Indian Army relief team with doctors and engineers has also been engaged in the relief work, Ajay Kumar noted.