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Air force, navy launch a massive operation in Orissa

Battling major constraints like lack of communication and navigational aids at Bhubaneshwar airport and bad weather, the Indian Air Force this morning started air dropping of food, medicines and other relief material. The Indian Navy ship Nirupak commenced operations at first light to survey and mark the entry channel into Paradip port in Orissa.

An IAF spokesman in New Delhi said a couple of sorties were carried out yesterday but the operations, one of the biggest carried out by the force, could begin only this morning.

Eight MI-8 helicopters began air drops early today and three IL-76 transporters landed at Kalaikunda. The huge planes carried army personnel and equipment from Jodhpur and Chandigarh.

The IAF also pressed into service the world's biggest helicopter, the MI-26, for transporting huge generators from Jamshedpur and Calcutta to the Paradip port for the critical task of cooling the ammonia plants there.

Also, two AN-32s have been stationed at Calcutta and Hyderabad to airlift medical supplies being provided by the West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh governments.

A Dornier was placed at Visakhapatnam to airlift naval divers to the cyclone-affected state. Other aircraft were stationed at Bombay to airlift motorised rubber boats.

ALSO SEE:
Centre to seek foreign aid for cyclone victims

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