New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- The Indian Air Force (IAF) has intensified its flood relief and rescue operations in Northern India with a primary focus on the severely affected Jammu and Punjab regions, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.

Mi-17 and Chinook helicopters have conducted more than 55 sorties to extract stranded civilians, including personnel from the Indian Army and Border Security Force, from inundated areas in Dera Baba Nanak, Pathankot, and Akhnoor sectors.

Transport aircraft (C-130) have been deployed to facilitate the rapid movement of specialised NDRF teams into the affected zones, the ministry said.

Further, it said that the "operations have enabled the rescue of 215 individuals and delivered 7,300 kgs of essential relief...