Army using social media to help Jammu and Kashmir flood victims

NEW DELHI: The Army is using social media apps such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp to save the lives of people stranded in the floodaffected areas of J&K.

The Army headquarters is forwarding all the distress messages received by it on its website, Facebook page and Twitter handle to a WhatsApp group, including senior commanders in the Northern Command, from where troops on ground are being directed to help the people in stress, Army’s ADG (Public Information) Maj Gen Shaukeen Chauhan said.

So far, distress messages from across the country have been received with people seeking to know about their missing relatives and the Army has tried to reach to them, he said. The WhatsApp group includes senior commanders of the Srinagarbased 15 Corps and Nagrota-based 16 Corps along with the units in field areas, Army officials said.