IAF concluded six-day Nagaland flood relief mission after evacuating 64 stranded people and airlifting 6.85 metric tonnes of supplies
DIMAPUR — The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday concluded its six-day humanitarian air operation in Nagaland after evacuating 64 more stranded passengers and airlifting 6.85 metric tonnes of relief materials to flood-hit areas of Longleng district.
On the final day of operations, two IAF helicopters transported 3.30 metric tonnes of essential relief supplies to EAC Headquarters, Namsang, and another 3.55 metric tonnes to Tamlu Headquarters.
According to an update from Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), the first helicopter carried 1.80 metric tonnes of relief materials to Namsang before flying to Tamlu, where it successfully landed and evacuated 22 stranded passengers to Dimapur Airport.
After returning to Dimapur, the same helicopter undertook two additional sorties, transporting another 3.55 metric tonnes of relief supplies to Tamlu. It later evacuated 19 stranded passengers from Tamlu and 23 others, including a child, from Longleng to Dimapur, bringing the day's total evacuation to 64 people, including students and patients.
Also read: IAF airlifts 107 stranded passengers as relief operations continue across Nagaland
Nagaland gets INR 183.65 crore additional NDRF aid in 2025-26
The second helicopter delivered 1.50 metric tonnes of relief materials to Namsang before proceeding to Mohanbari Airport in Assam after completing its permissible flying hours for the day.
With the completion of the sixth day's mission, the IAF concluded its deployment in support of Nagaland government's flood relief operations. Although the helicopters completed their final sortie after 5 pm and remained in Dimapur overnight due to operational limitations, they are scheduled to return to their respective bases on Wednesday.
The NSDMA stated that the six-day operation played a crucial role in ensuring uninterrupted delivery of essential supplies and the safe evacuation of stranded residents from flood-affected areas despite difficult weather conditions and challenging terrain.
It added that the IAF's timely intervention significantly strengthened the state's disaster response and enabled relief to reach remote and inaccessible areas cut off by floods and landslides.
Nagaland government placed on record its appreciation to IAF for its professionalism, commitment and humanitarian assistance during the emergency operation.