40 high-speed rescue boats handed over to SDRF to boost disaster response

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) handed over 40 motorized high-speed inflatable rubber rescue boats to the State Disaster Response Force to strengthen disaster response capabilities in the state.

The boats were formally dedicated to the Fire and Emergency Services, Assam, at a programme held at the Guwahati Gateway Ghat Terminal, where Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta inaugurated the induction. He said the boats would enhance swift rescue operations during floods, water-related accidents and other emergencies.

Officials said the boats were equipped with 30-horsepower engines, life jackets and advanced rescue equipment, enabling the evacuation of eight to ten people at a time. SDRF personnel conducted a procession of 15 boats on the Brahmaputra and demonstrated rescue drills during the event.

ASDMA stated that it had so far provided 301 such high-speed boats to the SDRF, including 52 during the 2025–26 financial year, as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness across Assam.

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