India steps in to assist Sri Lanka in cyclone relief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Sri Lanka of all help in dealing with the devastation caused by cyclone ‘Roanu’ even as India is dispatching two Navy ships and an Air Force transport aircraft to Colombo with relief material to assist its southern neighbour.

“We stand resolutely to help the Government and people of Sri Lanka. Assistance being rushed on emergency basis,” Mr. Modi tweeted.

Defence Ministry sources said on Friday that two Naval ships, one Naval Off Shore Patrol (NOPV) INS Sunayna and one survey ship INS Sutlej, are being sent to Colombo from Southern Naval Command in Kochi.

“INS Sutlej has already embarked with relief material and INS Sunayana will leave shortly,” sources said.

An Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft is being sent from Palam Air Force station in Delhi with medicines, a water purification plant and tents.

“The C-17 is scheduled to take-off at 1500 hrs and will halt in Chennai to pick up tents and then proceed to Colombo,” one officer said.

Representatives from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Disaster response Force (NDRF) will also be going in the aircraft, officials added.

A tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, Roanu, hit across the Sri Lankan coast causing massive flooding and mudslides which left scores dead and displaced over 1,00,0000 families.