Operation Kaveri: 119 people from Karnataka rescued from war-torn Sudan in 2 days

As many as 119 Karnataka natives have been rescued from war-hit Sudan over the last two days under Operation Kaveri.

As many as 119 Karnataka natives have been rescued from war-hit Sudan over the last two days under the India's evacuation mission named Operation Kaveri.

On April 28,  Saudi Arabian airlines (Jeddah-Bengaluru) carrying 362 evacuees from Sudan landed at the Kempegowda International Airport at 4:30 pm.

Of the 362 landed at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on April 28, 114 hail from Karnataka - 241 male, 107 female, 12 children and two infants.

According to Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority records, evacuees belonging to the state arrived in two batches - first, a group of five reached Mumbai airport on April 27 and the second batch of 114 people arrived at KIA on April 28.

ALSO READ: Operation Kaveri: 362 Indians reach Bengaluru from war-hit Sudan

Of the 114 evacuees who arrived in Bengaluru airport on April 28, majority belong to Shivamogga district (50), followed by Mysuru (45), Bengaluru (nine), Kalaburagi (four), Udupi (two), Ramanagara (two), Hassan (one) and Davanagere (one).

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Operation Kaveri: 119 people from Karnataka rescued from war-torn Sudan in 2 dayshttps://t.co/9xDjVSvoGg pic.twitter.com/iUufoQQiTN

— ChristinMathewPhilip (@ChristinMP_) April 28, 2023

Manoj Rajan, commissioner, Karnataka Disaster Management Authority told Moneycontrol that a centralized call centre has been set up at State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). "We have been reaching out to all relatives and parents of  stranded students and updating the latest measures undertaken and building the confidence of safe return of their loved ones."

He said they have been monitoring the situation in Sudan ever since the first advisory issued by the Indian embassy in Khartoum on April 18.

As many as 119 Karnataka natives have been rescued from war-hit Sudan over the last two days under Operation Kaveri.

“We are in constant touch with stranded people hailing from Karnataka in Sudan. All efforts are made to safely evacuate stranded people hailing from Karnataka to their respective destinations,” said Rajan.

Three facilitation counters have been set up in New Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai Airports, manned by senior officers of the state government, says Rajan.

"The facilitation counters are arranging flight tickets to the Operation Kaveri evacuees hailing from Karnataka on their onward journey to the State. Arrangements have also been made for last mile connectivity, ie, KSRTC buses have been arranged from Bengaluru airport to ferry them to their respective hometowns. Medical health check-ups will be provided to the evacuees at Bengaluru airport.”

KSRTC buses have been arranged from Bengaluru Airport to ferry them to their respective hometowns.

On April 24,  Union ministry of external affairs launched Operation Kaveri to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in conflict zones in Sudan. IAF aircrafts and Indian Navy ships are placed in strategic locations. The stranded Indians are being shifted to Jeddah and thereafter flown to Delhi/Mumbai/Bengaluru.

Many stranded at Airport

However, many passengers were stranded at Bengaluru airport for not having a yellow-fever certificate. Sheetal Anandpara, tweeted: “Thank you for bringing my husband back to India. But still pining to meet him. He just reached Sudan and within 2 days war began.  No #YellowFever card with him and stuck in bangalore airport too”.

@ANI @PIB_India @AmitShah @DrSJaishankar Thank you for bringing my husband back to India. But still pining to meet him. He just reached Sudan and within 2 days war began.
No #YellowFever card with him and stuck in bangalore airport too.

— Sheetal Anandpara (@SheetalAnandpa2) April 28, 2023

Rajan said around 40 passengers didn’t had vaccination certificate. “It’s now mandatory to have a vaccination certificate for those coming from African countries where Yellow Fever disease is prevalent”.