'Make shift helipad' helps Indian Air Force reach victims of cyclone Gaja

A 'make shift helipad' has been set up at the Indian Air Force base at Kodiakarai in Nagapattinam district days after it was badly damaged by cyclone Gaja.

IAF officials have set up a 'make shift helipad' at its base in Kodiakarai to ensure movement of relief materials in the region.

"The air force unit based at Kodiakkarai was badly damaged due to cyclone Gaja, which made landfall at Vedaranyam barely 10 kms from its location," an official release said. The unit was able to stand against the adversity and activate a mak eshift helipad which not only brought some relief material but also facilitated Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) Nirmala Sitharaman's visit, it said.

The air warriors of the unit Sunday distributed relief materials in Kodiakkarai village. A total of 1,000 kgs of relief material consisting of rice, wheat flour, salt, noodles, sanitary items and medicines were distributed, it added.

Cyclone 'Gaja' had crossed the Tamil Nadu coast early on November 16 between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, about 350 kms from Chennai, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming 63 lives.