New Delhi. As the cyclone Storm ‘FANI’ intensifies into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over South East and adjoining South West Bay of Bengal and lie about 770 km East-South-East of Chennai at 1730 hrs on April 29, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has assumed high degree of readiness to render necessary humanitarian assistance.

Indian Naval ships at Visakhapatnam and Chennai are standing-by to proceed to the most affected areas to undertake Humanitarian Assitance and Disaster Relief (HADR), evacuation, logistic support including providing medical aid.

These ships are embarked with additional divers, doctors, inflatable rubber boats and relief material that include food, tentage, clothes, medicines, blankets etc, in quantities sufficient.

Naval aircraft are also standing by at the Naval Air Stations INS Rajali at Arakkonam, Tamilnadu and INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh to undertake reconnaissance, rescue, casualty evacuation and air drop of relief material to the stranded if required.

ENC is monitoring the developments in the Bay of Bengal closely and Flag Officer Tamil Nadu & 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.