In the wake of the worsening condition of the floods in Chennai, the Indian Air Force on Thursday airlifted 200 people to Hyderabad.
The 200 people airlifted by the IAF are stranded passengers rescued from the worst-hit parts of Chennai, and they’re expected to land in Hyderabad, at the Begumpet Airport this afternoon. Begumpet Airport is the old Hyderabad airport, from which IAF planes operate.
There were four such flights that took off from Rajali Naval air station near Arakonam. This is being done as the Chennai airport is completely waterlogged and services have been terminated there.
The naval base is acting as a temporary solution, with people stranded on roads being the one who are being airlifted.
If reports are to be believed, people stranded on the streets of Chennai are being airlifted using helicopters that’s ferrying them to the naval base from where they are being flown to Hyderabad. The Rajali base has the biggest military runway in Asia.
The Chennai airport has been closed since Tuesday and is expected to remain non-operational till Sunday.
“By 6 am today, the situation had deteriorated severely, leading to submerging of entire operational area in approximately seven feet of water. All incoming flights were diverted to alternate airfields, except one international flight which was cleared due medical priority,” said a statement by the government on Wednesday.
Some people stranded at the airport have been sent to Bangalore.
“Since yesterday evening and the whole night, IAF C-17s hv been flying carrying NDRF teams,” said Suresh Badyal,1st Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Begumpet.