India sending two relief ships to cyclone-hit Myanmar
2008-05-06 15:42:35

NEW DELHI, May 6 (Xinhua)--- With the death toll in the Myanmar
cyclone now standing at around 15,000, India has dispatched two naval
ships loaded with relief supplies to the cyclone-battered nation, with
more relief assistance to be sent by air, according to The Times of
India Tuesday.

Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar Friday night with winds of speed up to
190 kmph. It subsided after 10 hours Saturday morning, leaving behind
large-scale devastation in several areas of Yangon and the Irrawady
delta.

According to media reports, officials in Myanmar have put the
death toll at around 15,000.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Navtej
Sarna said Monday that President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee have
sent individual messages to the Myanmar government "expressing their
deep distress" at the devastation caused by the natural disaster.

India rushes aid to Myanmar

By Bappa Majumdar

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India rushed relief and medical supplies to
cyclone-hit Myanmar on Monday, underscoring warming ties between the
two neighbours.

Hundreds of labourers were loading food items, blankets, clothing and
tents into two naval ships at Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) said.

"The ships will sail as soon as possible and any time now," he said.

A Myanmar-based diplomat told Reuters the country's military junta
estimated at least 10,000 people died and 3,000 were missing after the
cyclone hit the Irrawaddy delta on Saturday.

The Indian foreign ministry said in a statement that, "in keeping with
India's historical, close and good neighbourly ties with the friendly
people of Myanmar, the government of India is providing immediate
relief assistance to Myanmar.

India to fly in more aid for Myanmar
7 May 2008, 0120 hrs IST,TNN
Times of India

New Delhi: India is despatching more assistance to cyclone-hit Myanmar
in the form of two AN-32 aircraft carrying relief and medical
supplies. India had earlier sent two ships carrying food and other
relief items to Yangon on Monday.

The ministry of external affairs said on Tuesday that all possible
help has been offered to the country which was hit by cyclone ‘Nargis'
on May 3.

"Recent reports reveal that the death toll there is reaching immense
proportions. About 10,000 people are dead and several thousand have
gone missing. The external affairs minister has written to his
counterpart expressing his condolences and also conveyed India's
readiness to help the country rebuild," said the MEA spokesperson.

The two aircraft will fly out to Yangon from Kanpur air base on
Wednesday morning