The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 56 teams across various flood-affected districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh for rescue and relief operations. The teams are also providing medical assistance to the poor and needy, according to a statement from the Union Home Ministry.
A 24x7 NDRF control room in Delhi is monitoring the situation closely in all these states, and is in constant touch with other agencies concerned with the efforts. "So far NDRF teams have evacuated more than 26,400 people in various flood-prone areas of the country during this monsoon season. In addition to rescue work, NDRF teams have provided medical care to more than 9,100 people in various states," the statement from the ministry said.
The ministry had deployed 16 teams in Bihar. On Sunday, Aug. 21, NDRF teams had evacuated 3,400 people in Didarganj, 580 people in Bakhtiyarpur, 545 in Danapur, 380 in Chhapra, 355 in Vaishali and 15 people in the Maner district of the state.
As for Uttar Pradesh, the ministry said 11 flood rescue teams of the NDRF are deployed in various flood-prone areas. The teams on Sunday had conducted rescue and relief operation and evacuated 275 people in Ballia, 275 in Varanasi and 325 in Chitrakoot.
The statement also said seven NDRF flood rescue teams are in MP, prepared for any eventuality. They evacuated 147 marooned people to safer places in the Rewa district on Sunday.
The NDRF is prepared for action in Sikkim as well, where one team of the NDRF pre-positioned in connection with the monsoon season evacuated more than 450 people from the Tingbung and Lingdang villages in East Sikkim to safer places on Aug. 21.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh is closely monitoring the situation in all these areas, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter on Monday: "I pray for the safety and wellbeing of those in areas affected by floods in parts UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan & MP [sic]."
