Tuesday, January 4 2005 17:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: "What we are up against is virtually a war. A war maybe against Nature. But it is a war," Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S Tyagi said today (Jan 4, 2005), while ruling out relocating the IAF base at Car Nicobar washed away by the tsunamis.

"There is no possibility of relocating the base at Car Nicobar," he told reporters after visiting the island.

The new Air Chief, however, said some of the officers' quarters would be relocated. "We have asked for land in higher areas from the civil administration. "We have also identified some areas. We also require land in Port Blair.

"The Air Force," he said, "had taken up rescue operations at many places in the past, but I don't think we have handled a situation of such a magnitude earlier."

"The situation is very difficult here. It is a very big challenge. He said that the runway of the airfield at Car Nicobar, damaged by the tsunamis, would be fully repaired within two weeks.

The Air Chief Marshal said that though it was a tragedy, but there were bright spots as well. "Within an hour of the tsunami hitting the Andaman, helicopters were airborne and rescued 400 people."

He said that IAF aircraft made continuous sorties to Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay. The number of sorties stood at 182 up to January 2.

Meanwhile, large MI8 and MI17 helicopters were pressed into service for relief and rescue operations.