HYDERABAD, Aug 6: Army personnel have so far rescued 25,000 marooned people from different inundated villages of the Badin district and shifted them to relief camps.

This was said by the in charge of the flood relief operation, Col Sarmad, while briefing a team of Karachi journalists at the Badin Helipad on Tuesday.

He said army helicopters had also dropped 145,000 kilograms of dry food in the flooded areas and provided a tent and two blankets to each affected family.

He said Badin, Golarchi and Tando Bago were the worst affected talukas where 53 persons had died. He said rain and floods had affected 366,000 people.

Col Sarmad said two battalions of infantry and aviation of army with the help of four helicopters and motorboats were taking part in the relief operation since July 26. Besides army personnel, the district administration, police and NGOs were also engaged in the operation, he added.

He said a network had been set up to provide ration to the affected people in remote areas through union council Nazims.

He expressed the hope that if there were no more rains, the people who had taken shelter at relief camps would be able to return to their homes in 15 days. He said 5,000 people had already returned to their homes.

Answering a question about a survey to assess the damage caused by rains and floods, the colonel said after completion of the survey being conducted by the revenue department the losses would be reported to the government so that it could start rehabilitation work.