Indian Navy joins flood relief operations in Sri Lanka

India has sent navy ships with rescue and relief material to Sri Lanka, where torrential rains and landslides have resulted in several deaths and massive devastation over the last two days.

INS Kirch operating in South Bay of Bengal, has been diverted to Colombo in Sri Lanka to render immediate assistance in flood relief operations.

According to reports, the ship will enter Colombo anytime soon.

Additionally, INS Jalashwan shall sail out from Visakhapatnam today with HADR (Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief) stores which include victualling, clothing, medicines and water.

The ship will also carry medical and diving teams along with Gemini crafts and helicopters to assist in relief operations at Colombo.

She is likely to reach late morning or by noon tomorrow.

On the other hand, INS Shardul with relief material medical and diving teams leaves Kochi at 7 AM.

It will arrive in Colombo tonight.

Other assets standing by at short notice to render assistance as required.

Heavy rains in the southern and western parts of the country have destroyed hundreds of homes and cut off several roads.

Landslides and floods killed at least 91 people in Sri Lanka on Friday, the Disaster Management Centre said.

Nearly 50,000 people across 13 districts in the southern parts of the island were affected and about 8,000 of them had to be evacuated from

Kalutara, a coastal city some 40 km south of Colombo, among the worst hit.

Last May, Sri Lanka experienced severe floods in which at least a 100 people died.