Navy, IAF on high alert to meet any post-quake tsunami

New Delhi, Apr 11: The Indian navy and air force have put their warships and aircraft on a state of high alert for carrying out relief and rescue operations in the event of any possible post-quake tsunami situation.

The IAF has put two C-130J Hercules aircraft on 'Hot Stand-by mode' at the Hindon air base with 80 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and will be flying for Port Blair with 10 tonnes of relief equipment, IAF spokesperson Sqn Ldr Priya Joshi said in New Delhi.

She said one Il-76 aircraft from Chandigarh and two AN-32 and Dornier aircraft are on stand by in southern sector for disaster relief operations.

Earlier, defence sources had said the two aircraft would be flying to Port Blair in a short while with NDRF personnel and relief material on board.

The Navy on its part has put its warships and bases in port Blair on high alert mode soon after the earthquake in Indonesia.

As a precautionary measure, all the warships deployed in Port Blair were sailed out from the anchorage.

"Eastern Naval Command is also preparing with suitable ships with disaster relief teams embarked to affected areas, if required. Other naval ships in the Bay of Bengal have also been alerted," Navy officials said in New Delhi.

The relief material carried by the NDRF personnel would include medicines, tents, blankets and sniffer dogs and search and rescue equipment, they said.

A massive earthquake of 8.7 magnitude hit waters off Indonesia triggering tsunami fears across the Indian Ocean nations, including India.

PTI