Madikeri: As the monsoon intensifies across Kodagu district, a 30-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has arrived to assist with precautionary and emergency preparedness measures.

The Rapid Response Team from the 10th Battalion, headquartered in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, is currently stationed at the Cooperative Department Training Institute near the Muthappa Temple in Madikeri.

Led by Inspector Rambhaj, the team has already held discussions with the District Administration to identify vulnerable zones prone to landslides, floods and road blockages.

“The public need not fear the monsoon. We are here to ensure safety and swift response,” he said. While 30 personnel have been deployed initially, officials said additional reinforcements will be mobilised if required. The unit will remain in Kodagu through June, until monsoon conditions ease.

Arriving in two trucks, the team has brought along a wide range of rescue equipment, including signal units, satellite phones, life jackets, motorboats, rafts, chainsaws, ropes, searchlights, hydraulic cutters for collapsed structures, oxygen cylinders, stretchers, generators and essential life-saving medicines.

The personnel are trained to handle floods, landslides and other natural disasters, with focus on human and livestock rescue.

Dog squad for first time

For the first time, the team includes a trained rescue dog named ‘Honey’, an eight-year-old German Shepherd.

‘Honey’ has been specially trained to detect trapped persons under debris by sensing heartbeats and smell. Accompanied by two handlers, the dog is expected to play a key role in search-and-rescue operations and will serve until 2027, as per service norms.

Inspector Rambhaj said the team will carry out field inspections in vulnerable areas and also visit schools and colleges to create awareness on safety precautions during the monsoon. He recalled that the same battalion had been deployed during the 2025 Wayanad disaster in Kerala and assured that the team is fully prepared to respond to any emergency.