Coast Guard ready to undertake relief operations

Vasco: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is ready in all respects to undertake search, rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of the super cyclone Amphan. ICG has deployed about six ships and two Dornier aircraft every day since May 16 on the Eastern seaboard to issue warnings in vernacular language to the fishermen and mariners at sea of the impending adverse weather conditions due to the passage of ‘Amphan’ and requesting them to return to nearest ports for safety.  

The ICG has so far escorted more than 300 fishing boats operating at sea to nearest ports.

The Coast Guard commenced its pre-emptive action with the issuance of warning by IMD about formation of low pressure over the south east Bay of Bengal. The ICG issued advisories to the local administration, fisheries and fishermen association about the formation of the low pressure and to advise the fishermen not to venture out to sea till the passage of the cyclone.  In addition, ports were requested to shift the vessels at anchorage to safer locations well before the arrival of the cyclone. In order to ensure that ‘No life and property is lost at sea’,  the ICG has been deploying its assets to issue warnings to the fishermen to return to nearest harbour. Further, Navtex warnings and International Safety Net (ISN) has been activated to request merchant vessels transiting the area to advise fishermen to return to harbour.

Twenty Disaster Relief Teams (DRT) with inflatable boats, lifebuoys and lifejackets has been kept standby by the ICG all along the East Coast for undertaking disaster response operations.  Medical teams and ambulances have also been kept standby for mobilisation.