NEW DELHI, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has assumed a high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance as cyclone Fani intensifies over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, about 770 km southeast of southern city of Chennai, official sources said on Tuesday.
Indian Navy ships at southern coastal cities Visakhapatnam and Chennai are on standby to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Aid Distress Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid.
These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats and relief material, including food, tentage, clothes, medicines and blankets in quantities sufficient, said a statement issued by the navy.
Besides, aircraft are also standing by at the naval air stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam in southern state Tamilnadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam in southern state Andhra Pradesh to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded if required.
The ENC is monitoring the developments in the Bay of Bengal closely and Flag Officer Tamilnadu and Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA) and Naval Officers-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh and Odisha) are in constant communication with respective state administrations to augment rescue and relief operations as needed, added the statement.
