INTEGRATED HEADQUARTERS OF MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (NAVY)

 

 

RELIEF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY INDIAN NAVY

UPDATE - 03 JAN 05

At 0800 h today, 03 Jan 05, the forces committed by the Navy for relief operations are 31 ships, 22 helicopters, 4 Dornier/Islander aircraft and more than 5500 personnel. In addition, many Naval personnel from Naval bases viz, INS Rajali, INS Dega, INS Circars, INS Kattabomman, INS Adyar, NAS Ramnad  and INS Venduruthy are  continuing with relief / medical assistance in the affected areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.   

Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Op SEA WAVES)

INS Jyoti continues to be deployed in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands for providing the essential stores and fuel for the IN ships deployed in relief operations to enhance their endurance. INS Sandhayak is carrying relief material including desalination and water purifying plants (two Reverse Osmosis plants)  along with portable generator sets (03 x 45 KVA and 05 x 35 KVA) for the southern group of islands. INS Darshak is also headed for A&N with relief material including five portable generators. INS Nirdeshak (Hospital Ship) is enroute to the Southern Group of A&N Islands and will be calling at Chennai enroute for loading of relief material.

The Naval Officer–in–Charge of West Bengal has embarked the following relief material for the A&N islands: -

Item                     Deno         Qty          Remarks

Biscuits                Kgs            104             IAF IL 76

Bread                   Kgs            1500          IAF aircraft

Bread                   Kgs            480            IAF IL 76

Water                   Ltrs            7200          IAF IL 76

Nancowry.  IN ships Magar, Tiilanchang and LCU 34 were operating in the area for relief operations. Survivors were evacuated from Kuitasuk, Taeela, Chongamong, Raiheon and Alhiyat villages.

Kamorta Group

Chowra. 463 people were evacuated from Chowra to relief camp at Tarassa by naval and merchant ships.

Katchall.  INS Trinkat with relief supplies and ITBP & BSF personnel embarked onboard is undertaking relief operations off Katchall Island.

Tarassa  Island. INS Tillanchang had disembarked 70 bags of provisions to the Island.

INS Rajput operated off Great Nicobar Island and Little Nicobar Islands alongwith IN Ships Gharial and Cheetah for undertaking relief operations such as evacuation of personnel from inundated settlements and distribution of relief material as under :-

LCU 39 conducted survey of passenger and break water jetties at Car Nicobar and also disembarked of relief stores.

One IN Dornier aircraft airlifted relief material from Port Blair to Campbell.

East Coast (Op MADAD)

Tamil Nadu Coast 

Diving Operations. The diving operations by IN Diving Team to clear obstructions in Chennai port are continuing. Assessment of damage to Dolphins (structures for berthing the merchant ships) and oil rigs off Chennai are also in progress. (Underwater survey of structures at Chennai port reveals extensive damage). Diving operations are also continuing in Velar River near Nagapattinam to clear debris and recover dead bodies.

Nagapattinam. IN Ships Ranjit and Khanjar continued to operate relief camps at Nagapattinam.  The Medical Camp at Velankanni Church 19 km South of Nagapattinam is continuing.  Medical Camps have been re-established at Neela Dathi, Vasavi Kalyan Mandapam and Nago Durgah by the Navy.

West Coast (Kerala)

Shertallai, Alleppey.  One medical team ex-Kochi continues to be deployed at Taluka Hospital Shertallai, (Alleppey) for relief operations.

Assistance to Sri Lanka (Op RAINBOW)

Galle.  

IN Ships Jamuna (Hospital Ship), Sarvekshak (Survey Ship) with relief supplies, medical teams and Army composite team (81 Army personnel) and  Sutlej are deployed off Galle, Hambantota and Matara along the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka for diving/ survey/relief/harbour clearance operations. The Army composite team from INS Sarvekshak has been deployed at Boossa.  

The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka visited Galle on 02 Jan 05.  The Commanding Officers of IN ships briefed the Prime Minister on the relief operations being carried out.

Diving Team. The diving team (01 Officer, 09 Divers and 02 Gemini craft with OBMs) ex-INS Sharda (which returned to Kochi) has been retained at Galle (with INS Sutlej) for continuing the salvage and debris clearance work in Galle harbour. With concerted efforts, Galle harbour has been cleared of most of the underwater obstructions and has been made ready for being opened up for operations, once the navigational buoys marking the channel are  repositioned correctly.

Clearing of Debris. Debris clearance was undertaken by a team of one officer and thirty sailors, in liaison with Sri Lankan Naval Authorities. The debris on the approach road to Fishing Harbour was cleared to enable movement of heavy vehicles. One party of 10 sailors assisted the local Buddhist monks in clearing debris in a monastery. Two Fork Lifts, one diesel driven pump and one compressor of Galle port were repaired.

Medical Camps.  One medical team, airlifted from Kochi, continues to be  employed with Sri Lankan Army Military Engineering Regiment in Embilipitiya near Hambantota and are attending to casualties since PM 26 Dec 04. IN Ships Sutlej and Sarvekshak operated two medical camps in Galle and treated about 300 patients. Two Medical Officers and Medical Assistants from INS Kirch have been deployed at Kinniya in Trincomalee district. Six Medical Officers and 12 Medical Assistants from INS Aditya have been deployed in Batticaloa area.

Aircraft Detachment. An aircraft detachment comprising one Dornier and one Islander aircraft continues to be deployed at Ratmalana Airbase near Colombo since 30 Dec 04.  The aircraft were employed for following relief operations :-

Helicopter Operations.  Three Chetak helicopters from IN Ships Jamuna, Sarvekshak and Sutlej ferried medical and relief stores from ships to SLNS Boosa (Sri Lankan Naval Base).

Trincomalee 

One team of three officers and 25 sailors of INS Kirch (Corvette) is deployed at SL Naval Base at Nilaveli. A medical team of three Medical Officers and 10 Medical assistants are at Kiniya Government Hospital for conducting relief operations in the affected area. 

The Honourable Mahanayak of Maywatte Chapter (highest Buddhist priest) of Sri Lanka, Governor and Chief Minister of Central province visited ships and expressed their gratitude for the assistance rendered by the Indian Navy.

Relief Assistance to Maldives (Op CASTOR)

The following relief operations were undertaken by INS Mysore:-

Viligili (North Huvadhoo).  Provisions (approx 700 Kg), water (200 Ltr) and Lime (40 Ltr) were distributed.

Thinadhoo (south Huvadhoo).  Provisions (approx 600 Kg), water (160 Ltr) and Lime (40 Ltr) were distributed.

CGS Sagar has sailed from Male for Diyamigli Island in Kolumadulu Atoll and Khadhoo Island with 80 tons of relief material.

Indonesia (Op GAMBHIR)

INS Nirupak, with relief supplies and medical stores embarked is on her way to Indonesia.  INS Khukri is also on transit to Indonesia with the balance of the relief supplies.