Indian naval ship leaves for Lanka

An Indian Naval ship carrying relief materials today left for Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance to the Island nation hit by floods.
A Naval spokesman said INS Shardul has been dispatched from Southern Naval Command here to render humanitarian assistance.
The ship, which sailed from Kochi in the morning, is carrying not only relief materials such as food, water and medicines, but also has a medical team of doctors and assistants to render immediate medical aid to people, he said.
The vessel will reach Sri Lanka tomorrow.
The ship has on board diving teams along with rubber inflatable craft to evacuate persons in flood affected areas.

Equipped with a Chetak helicopter, the ship is also capable of undertaking search and rescue mission by air.
In the wake of floods, the Sri Lankan government had asked for flood relief assistance from India.
The death toll from the worst floods since 2003 in Sri Lanka crossed 100 and authorities warned of more rains.