India Dispatches Relief Material To Tsunami-Hit Indonesia

New Delhi, October 02, 2018

UPDATED: OCTOBER 02, 2018 18:56 IST

Indian Navy has diverted three ships INS Tir, Sujata and Shardul on deployment to Singapore to Palu in Indonesia. IAF has deployed one C-130J and one C-17 transport aircraft to ferry medical teams and relief material. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday and offered all possible assistance.

After India’s offer of assistance to tsunami-hit Indonesia, Indian Air Force (IAF) and Navy launched Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts on Tuesday to deliver relief material to the South East Asian country.

Indian Navy has diverted three ships INS Tir, Sujata and Shardul on deployment to Singapore to Palu in Indonesia. IAF has deployed one C-130J and one C-17 transport aircraft to ferry medical teams and relief material.

Besides HADR bricks or material normally carried by all ships, these ships also have on board 30,000 L of bottled drinking water, 1500 L of packaged juices, 500 L milk, 700 kg of biscuits and 20 tents. The ships were dispatched at first light on Tuesday morning, a Navy officer said.

A massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian province of Sulawesi on Friday triggering a tsunami leaving at least 1,234 dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and offered all possible assistance.

The IAF C-130J aircraft is carrying a field hospital from Agra while the C-17 aircraft is carrying National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) load, mainly consisting tents, generators and medicines.

The C-130 carrying 37 medical personnel has taken off from Hindon Air Force station to Chennai. From Chennai the aircraft will fly to Kualanamu international airport and from there move to Palu.

“The medical teams have been instructed to be self-contained for 10 days. Accordingly they are carrying their rations, generators, fuel oil lubricant, tentage. In addition, light medical equipment including an X-ray machine and medicines are being carried,” one IAF officer said.

The C-17 was loaded at Palam with relief material received from NDMA, including 15.66 tonne of tentage and generators and 16 tonne of medicines. The aircraft is headed to Makkasar in Indonesia.

Courtesy: The Hindu