India has already sent a huge relief aid to Sri Lanka, with IAF, since the island country is has been struggling with the horrendous effects of the Cyclone Ditwah, which has killed 123 people and injured at least 130 others. India also despatched specialised rescue mission, necessary supplies, and humanitarian aid by air and sea to show that it was a reliable first responder in the Indian Ocean region.
According to an announcement made by the foreign affairs minister S. Jaishankar, an Indian Air Force (IAF) IL-76 passenger software was loaded with nine tonnes of relief cargo and two specialised urban search-and-rescue teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Colombo. These teams have 80 trained staff and four search dogs. They are furnished with inflatable boats, hydraulic cutters, rupturing tools, cutting-edge communication tools, first aid kits and other tools which are vital in operations in the disaster struck areas. It is headed by the teams headed by the commandant of 8 th battalion of the NDRF, P.K. Tiwary.
Another 12 tonnes of humanitarian assistance were delivered with a second IAF aircraft known as C-130J during Operation Sagar Bandhu which is an on-going operation by India to assist neighbour countries in natural calamities. In the meantime, 6.5 tonnes of rations, emergency supply, and relief supplies were delivered by Indian Navy warships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri who were already in Sri Lanka taking part in an international fleet review on Friday.
A total of 27 tonnes of aid, including foodstuff, tents, tarpaulin, blanket, hygiene and ready-to-eat meals were dispatched. India, according to its officials, is giving rapid aid to facilitate quick relief activities and rescue thousands of people displaced or harmed by the cyclone.
On the national level, the NDRF has enhanced readiness in the eastern coast of India, which is vulnerable. It has rolled out fourteen teams in Tamil Nadu coastal districts such as Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai. More units are allocated to Puducherry and ten more teams of Pune and Vadodara are being brought to Chennai.
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