Nagpur, Jul 22 (IANS): The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday afternoon sent a MI-17 V5 helicopter to evacuate at least 40 villagers marooned in flood waters at Anandnagar-Tanda village of Mahagaon in Yavatmal, officials said here.

The official said that the chopper was deployed following a request from the district authorities as the region grapples with incessant rains for the past two days.

In and around Anandnagar-Tanda, scores of homes were flooded and people were forced to wade out in 3-4 feet deep waters to safter locations even as the water levels continued to rise, inundating the village roads and the agricultural fields around.

Earlier this afternoon, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that around 45 people were stranded in the flooded villages and two helicopters would be dispatched to evacuate them.

A defence official confirmed this evening that one chopper was flown to the affected region and the evacuation work was currently underway.

Besides, a SDRF team is also en route to Anandnagar-Tanda to rescue the other villagers even as the area continued to be lashed with heavy rains this evening.

Vidarbha, the eastern region of Maharashtra has been witnessing a downpour in the past 48 hours in Nagpur, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Gadchiroli and other districts.

The torrential rains have claimed at least 8 lives and another two dozen injured in various rain-related incidents while all concerned agencies are in a state of high alert as more rains are predicted.