The Indian Air Force rescued 12 people, including women and children, from the roof of a fragile kutcha hut near Dongaghat village in Bastar district after floodwaters from the Indravati river rose well above the danger mark, according to the Defence Ministry and district officials.
The rescue operation was launched after information reached authorities that around 10 to 12 civilians were trapped in huts on the northern bank of the Indravati. An IAF helicopter crew from the Central Air Command searched the flooded area and located the group gathered on a roof that was at risk of collapsing under the force of the water.
With limited time available, a Garud commando was lowered from the hovering helicopter onto the hut roof to help the stranded villagers. The civilians were then winched into the helicopter and evacuated. The IAF said all 12 people were rescued safely.
The operation came as flooding worsened across parts of Bastar following heavy rain and a sharp rise in the Indravati’s water level. District officials said the river had reached 12.56 metres by Saturday evening, around 4.26 metres above the danger mark. The administration has placed low-lying and riverside settlements under round-the-clock monitoring.
More than 1,000 people were evacuated and moved to relief camps in Bastar over the preceding 24 hours, while 43 camps had been established across urban and rural parts of the district. More than 5,000 flood-affected people were being provided shelter, food and essential supplies at these facilities, according to the report.
The flooding has also affected road movement on key routes connecting the district. Near Sonarpal on National Highway-30, around six truck drivers and helpers were rescued after several feet of water accumulated on the Jagdalpur-Raipur road. Five trucks were stranded, forcing those inside to climb onto the vehicle roofs and seek assistance through videos.
The incidents highlight the immediate operational challenge faced by authorities when riverside settlements, temporary housing and major road links are affected at the same time. The district administration’s response currently includes evacuation, relief-camp operations, monitoring of vulnerable settlements and coordination with the IAF for aerial rescue.
Officials are continuing to monitor the Indravati and other affected areas while relief camps remain operational. Further evacuations and rescue efforts will depend on river levels, rainfall and the condition of roads and low-lying settlements.
