Operation Rahat

Operation Rahat (Hindi: राहत Rāhata, lit. "Relief") was the name given to the Indian Air Force's rescue operations to evacuate civilians affected by the 2013 North India floods. Thousands of pilgrims in transit in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh were stranded in various valleys. It was one of the largest operations of the Indian Armed Forces in several decades. and IAF claims it to be the biggest civilian rescue operation in the world carried out by any air force using helicopters. During the first phase of the operation From 17 June 2013, the IAF airlifted a total of 19,600 people - flying a total of 2,140 sorties and dropping/landing a total of 3,82,400 kg of relief material and equipment.

On 16 June, following flash floods due to heavy rains, assistance was sought from the IAF for rescue operations. The Western Air Command (WAC) responded to the requests and undertook simultaneous tasks in the sectors of Yamunanagar, Kedarnath-Badrinath axis, Rudraprayag valley and the Karcham- Puh axis. Air Commodore Rajesh Isser was appointed Task Force Commander of Operation Rahat.

The Sarsawa Air Force Station was made the hub centre with helicopters converging from the Bhatinda and Hindon air force bases. A number of helicopters including the newly inducted Mil Mi-17 V5 were positioned on 17 June at Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun despite inclement weather. On 17 June, a total of 36 persons were evacuated from Karnal by a Mi-17.

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