Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Oct 2 (PTI) An Indian Air Force helicopter on flood relief duty made an emergency landing in a waterlogged area in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Wednesday after it developed a snag, officials said.
All the occupants of the aircraft were safe.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lauded the IAF personnel for their service in the flood-hit state and announced that air-dropping of food packets from IAF helicopters will continue for the victims of the deluge which continued to remain grim in the state.
According to the disaster management department, the number of people affected by flood has reached 14.62 lakh.
Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar said the helicopter was coming from adjoining Darbhanga after air-dropping relief materials to flood-hit people.
“The helicopter made an emergency landing in a waterlogged area in Aurai block. All the occupants were IAF personnel and they were pulled out by locals by the time officials reached the spot,” said the SSP.
District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said all four occupants of the aircraft were unharmed.
“However, as a precaution, they were taken to a local hospital for check-up and treatment, if required,” he said.
In a statement, the chief minister also showered praise on villagers of Muzaffarpur and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) workers who rescued the four IAF personnel from the helicopter.
“The CM also said that in view of the flood situation in the state, air dropping of food packets will continue from the helicopter of the IAF in the state,” the statement issued by the Chief Minister Office (CMO) here said.
Meanwhile, the flood situation remained grim in Bihar on Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, accompanied by state BJP president and minister Dilip Jaiswal, conducted an aerial survey of Saharsa and Darbhanga districts and met flood victims.
Later, Choudhary said in a post on X: “Relief and rescue work is going on a war footing in all flood affected areas of Bihar. The NDA government is constantly monitoring the situation so that the common people do not face any problem. We are with the people of Bihar at every step”.
According to the state disaster management department, packets of food and other relief materials are being air-dropped by IAF helicopters in the 17 flood-affected districts.
These districts are East and West Champaran, Araria, Kishanganj, Gopalganj, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Supaul, Madhepura, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Saran, Saharsa, Katihar and Khagaria.
For safe evacuation of people, 16 teams of NDRF and 17 SDRF have been pressed into service. Around 975 boats were pressed into service in the affected areas.