Saturday, January 1 2005 14:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: Continuing its focus on Nagapattinam, the Indian Navy will tonight (Jan 1, 2004) send a ship to the worst hit district with medical personnel and medicines while the ship carrying potable water, fuel and portable gensets sent to Trincomalee in Sri Lanka has reached the Island nation.

The Naval ship INS Khukri, which is here now, is stocking food and relief material to be sent to the worst affected Banda Aceh in Indonesia, a Defence release said in Chennai.

Since Chennai is the staging post for "Operation Madad" for relief in India, "operation rainbow east" for relief in Sri Lanka and "Operation Gambhir" to Indonesia, the Naval base here was humming with activity coordinating relief operations.

The Indian naval ship Khanjar is sailing tonight for Nagapattinam carrying about 25 medical personnel and large quantities of medicines to set up medical camps. Another ship the SDB-57 reached Napapattinam with large quantities of rations, clothing and medicines. The Navy has also set up a mobile medical camp at Seepudupettai village near Porto Novo.

Indian Navy also sent additional diving reinforcements to Chennai Port Trust from Visakhapatnam to clear the area of large anchors and cable torn apart from merchant ships in the harbour when the tidal wave struck. Diving operations were going on.