The Hindu : National : Restoration work on IAF base to begin soon

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Monday, Jan 03, 2005

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National

Restoration work on IAF base to begin soon

By Our Staff Reporter

TAMBARAM, JAN. 2. Work on restoration of the Indian Air Force station in Car Nicobar will begin soon, Air Commodore M.S. Ahluwalia, Air Officer Commanding of the IAF station in Tambaram, said today.

Talking to reporters on the IAF's role in relief and rescue operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which was severely affected in last Sunday's tsunami, the officer said the Air Force was continuing its rehabilitation work in the affected areas. Hundreds of IAF personnel in the island were evacuated and sent to their native places in India, Mr. Ahluwalia said, adding they were all sent on a month's leave. Personnel from the Tambaram station were deployed at present in the Car Nicobar base. He said that 25 IAF officers and their family members perished while 88 were still missing. There was a high casualty of the officers as their quarters were located closest to the shore.

Good coordination

The IAF was coordinating well with the Tamil Nadu Government over relief and rescue operations since the day of the calamity, he said. On Sunday, it conducted an aerial survey of the damaged areas following a request from the State Government. It also dropped food packets supplied by the Government, in Tirukazhukundram and Sadurangapattinam later in the day.

On December 30, it conducted an extensive survey of the coastline between Chennai and Pondicherry following a request from the State Government after a warning about the possibility of another tsunami.

Mr. Ahluwalia said the Air Traffic Control at the Tambaram IAF station received a message from a civilian aircraft at 7.15 a.m. on December 26, a couple of hours before the waves hit the Tamil Nadu coastline.

The civilian aircraft had intercepted a high frequency message: "Car Nic extensively damaged due to earthquake and tidal wave. Inform at AF Station, Tambaram. Request for food, shelter and power."

The Commanding Officer said the IAF had so far evacuated over 1,100 people from Car Nicobar and the operations would continue. Today 94 persons reached the Tambaram IAF station. Till now, 708 men, women and children were flown to their native places, Mr. Ahluwalia said.

Apart from the IAF officers, staff and their families, the force helped in the evacuation of 1,000 civilians and accommodated them in camps in Chennai.

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