An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter on Sunday airlifted an 85-year-old paralyzed woman to evacuate her from Himachal Pradesh’s Dhanderwari after heavy snowfall blocked all roads, hindering availability of medical assistance.
The woman is now stable after receiving timely treatment.
“An IAF Cheetah helicopter undertook an urgent medical evacuation of an 85 Year-old paralysed woman from Dhanderwari, Himachal Pradesh (9,000 ft AMSL) to Chandigarh,” Indian Air Force wrote on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The mission was carried out amid continuous snowfall and low visibility.
The video shared by Indian Air Force on X showed the woman being carried on a stretcher to the Cheetah helicopter amid heavy snowfall. Visuals also showed the helipad shrouded with snow.
IAF ushers relief in fire-hit Manipur
In the north-eastern state of Manipur, The Indian Air Force delivered nearly 40,000 litres of water over three days, it said in a post on X.
At an altitude of nearly 9,500 feet, IAF’s Mi-17 V5 choppers delivered water amid fire, wind and low visibility in Manipur, IAF wrote.
“Where the air thins, resolve holds firm,” the post read.
The relief operations are a part of IAF’s prolonged efforts to contain a fire that broke out in Dzükou (Dziiko) Valley spanning Nagaland and Manipur three days ago and has since spread to Mount Iso (Mount Esii), Manipur’s highest peak, HT earlier reported.
Visuals showed aid being dropped from a height with the help of parachutes. “Vigilant in crisis, steadfast in duty” it said.
North India battles cold
According to India Meteorological department’s morning weather bulletin from Shimla on Sunday, the lowest minimum temperature in the state was recorded at Tabo in Lahaul-Spiti at -3.6 degrees Celsius, while the highest maximum temperature was recorded at Paonta Sahib at 24 degrees Celsius.
As regions situated at higher altitudes remained covered in snow, minimum temperatures at a few places in Himachal Pradesh rose by 2 to 6 degrees Celsius, while at some stations they remained near normal or were 3 to 6 degrees above normal.
Several places received precipitation including Manali at 10 mm, followed by Sujanpur Tira at 7.8 mm, Sarahan at 7.3 mm, Shimla at 4.2 mm, Malraon at 4.0 mm, and Solan and Jubberhatti at 3.4 mm each.