Panchkula, Sept. 2 -- The army's Western Command on Monday said it has rescued over 5,000 civilians and 300 paramilitary personnel from flood hit areas of Punjab, Himachal and Jammu in the past 16 days. The operations, which began on August 16, involved 47 army columns, including engineers, medical teams, and communication personnel, working in close collaboration with the civil authorities, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). The information was shared by Major General Puneet Ahuja at the Western Command Headquarters in Chandimandir. He said 20 aircraft, including advanced light helicopters and Chinooks, have been deployed for round-the-clock humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. So far, more than 250 flying hours have been logged, leading to the rescue of more than 5,000 civilians and 300 paramilitary personnel. Additionally, about 21 tonnes of relief supplies, including food and medicines, have been delivered to remote, cut-off villages. According to officers, this year's flood situation is the most severe the region has faced since 1988. A round-the-clock flood control and water level monitoring cell has been established to oversee water levels at critical points like the Bhakra, Nangal and Ranjit Sagar dams, said the army. While the water levels at Pong dam and Madhopur barrage were at a danger level, the army stated that water flow at some crucial locations is now reducing. On August 27, communication teams laid over 2km of optical fiber cable to restore mobile connectivity. Two days later, army engineers constructed a Bailey Bridge over the Jammu Tawi river in just 12 hours, restoring a vital link to the city. On August 30, Western Command army commander Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar visited areas along the Ravi and Chenab rivers to review the ongoing efforts....