*IIIM students evacuated after floodwaters inundate hostel ground floor in Jammu*

Jammu, Aug 24: At least 45 students of the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) were evacuated to safety in a joint operation by the State Disaster Response Force and police after floodwaters submerged the ground floor of the hostel complex here on Sunday, officials said.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police deployed manpower equipped with boats to reach out the students after more than seven feet of water from the overflowing canal entered their hostel buildings this morning, the officials said.

They said the rescue operation continued for more than five hours and all the trapped students were evacuated to safety.

Director IIIM, an autonomous body under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Zabeer Ahmed said the institute has made arrangements for the safe stay of the students.