Flood fury: Army deploys helicopters to evacuate people; 1,211 evacuated

August 28, 2025

Chandigarh: The Indian Army on Thursday announced the launch of extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations, deploying 12 helicopters to evacuate and provide medical aid and food to people stranded in flood-hit areas of Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.

So far, 1,211 civilians have been evacuated to safety, including 11 Punjab government officials stranded at the Madhopur Barrage and 180 PMF personnel.

Swift Response in Coordination with Civil Administration
The operations were executed rapidly, using all available resources, with the sole aim of providing relief and rescue to the affected populace. Actions were undertaken in close coordination with the local state administrations.

Army aviation and ground forces brought relief to families in areas such as Mamun in Jammu, Samba, Kachle and Sujanpur in Pathankot, Makaura Pattan and Adalatgarh in Gurdaspur, as well as Amritsar and Ferozepur sectors.

28 Army Columns Mobilised
A total of 28 Army columns, including medical teams and communication units, have been activated to support the relief effort. These teams are engaged in ground rescue, medical assistance, evacuation, and restoration of connectivity for displaced families.

Precision Air Rescues and Relief Drops
The 12 helicopters — comprising three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and nine Cheetah helicopters — carried out challenging winching and hovering missions to rescue civilians stranded on rooftops and in inundated villages, showcasing the skill and bravery of Army aviators.

Boats and safety ropes have also been deployed to ferry people to safer areas. Nearly 2,300 kg of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicines, have been air-dropped or delivered to isolated areas.

Medical Aid and Infrastructure Support
Medical teams are providing on-the-spot care to the injured and vulnerable. In a key engineering intervention, the Army provided a Bailey bridge to the Jammu administration to restore connectivity in flood-affected areas, ensuring the smooth movement of relief supplies and essential resources.

Round-the-Clock Operations
The relief operations are being conducted 24/7 in synergy with state administrations, reflecting the Army’s ethos of service and sacrifice as soldiers, engineers, medics, and aviators work tirelessly to save lives and restore normalcy.