Lunglei forest fire: Indian Air Force (IAF) to deploy two copters

AIZAWL: The Indian Air Force (IAF) would deploy two helicopters to douse the forest fire in Mizoram even as the state's fighters and disaster management personnel are battling the blaze in Lunglei district and its adjoining areas, officials said on Sunday.

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said the two IAF Mi-17V5 helicopters equipped with Bambi buckets would be positioned to douse the wildfire in Lunglei district and adjoining areas.

Chief Minster Zoramthanga on Sunday sought help from the IAF as well as the locals in dousing the major forest inferno in the mountainous district, which shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Officials here said that Zoramthanga has earlier asked the Chief Secretary LalnunmawiaChuaungo to talk to the IAF authority to urgently deploy helicopters to douse the forest fire which has been rapidly spreading in the adjoining localities and small towns of Lunglei and the adjacent district in southern Mizoram. Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), hundreds of volunteers, disaster management and Fire and Emergency Services personnel are continuing their efforts to control the inferno.

An official statement said that the fire was initially concentrated in uninhabited forest areas surrounding the Lunglei town on Saturday and on Sunday have spread to more than 10 village council areas adjoining the town.

''Dry vegetation due to drought conditions, coupled with strong winds, has made the mission extremely challenging, and the unfriendly terrain of the area also poses a very serious risk and hindrance for the firefighters,'' said the statement. Lunglei district's Deputy Commissioner Kulothungan said that the State's fire fighters and disaster management personnel accompanied by the locals are doing their best but the wind is further increasing the fire spread to newer areas.''There is no casualty in the fire so far. We are unable to assess the gravity and volume of the damages due to the fire right now as we are busy in dousing the inferno,'' said the Deputy Commissioner. (IANS)

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