Rescue and relief operations continue in areas hit by tsunami waves
	13:53 IST

The Government of India in association with the States and Union Territories has mounted massive relief and rescue operations round the clock in the areas affected by Tsunami/Tidal waves. The priority is now focused on relief supplies and evacuation in Nicobar Islands and rehabilitation in the affected States and Union Territories. The Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal Ministry for coordinating relief and response, is in constant touch with all the affected States and UTs as well as the concerned Ministries, Departments and Armed Forces. The Control Room is providing assistance through its help line to the public in and outside the country about their relatives and friends round the clock. One senior officer has been deputed to Car Nicobar to coordinate massive relief and rescue operations there . Relief supplies from Kerala, Orissa and Gujarat were lifted to Car Nicobar and Maldives yesterday. Further relief material is planned to be airlifted from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, Gujarat and NCT of Delhi for Car Nicobar today. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have also offered assistance and logistics are being worked out. Karnataka has announced cash relief of Rs. 5 crore, Maharashtra of Rs. 5 crore, Gujarat of Rs.7 crore and NCT of Delhi Rs.2 crore to the affected States/UTs Armed Forces and Central Police Forces have been providing relief and rescue assistance, not only to the affected States but also to Sri Lanka and Maldives.The death toll has already crossed 4300 and is likely to go up further once the bodies are retrieved from Nicobar Islands and Tamil Nadu in particular. A & N Islands Special flights have been operated to Port Blair from Chennai and Kolkata to evacuate the stranded people including tourists. Relief supplies, arranged by the MHA, were airlifted yesterday from the Tambaram Airport. In addition, two AN 32 aircraft and one IL 76 with full load of relief material left yesterday for the Islands one each from Bhubneshwar, Bhuj and Ahmedabad. Medical teams with emergency stores have also been deputed. Two Coast Guard Ships with relief material and medical team left for Campbell Bay yesterday. One naval ship and one Coast Guard Ship left for Hut Bay. Two Donier Aircraft dropped food and water at Hut Bay and Camp Bell Bay. Andhra Pradesh: About 300 villages have been seriously affected. Medical Teams have been deputed to take sanitation measures in the affected villages. Four Coast Guard Ships have been deployed off Kakinada, Nellore and Krishna Godavari basin for search and rescue operations Four Indian Navy Ships have been operating off Tamil Nadu and Andhra Coast for search and rescue operations. Kerala About 300 people were reported to be stranded on a narrow strip of land off Oachira in Alappuzha district. The diving team of the Navy started rescue operations yesterday. One Coast Guard ship is providing assistance and one ship has been put on stand by at Cochin. One coast guard ship is carrying out search and rescue operations at Quilon. Tamil Nadu About 500 villages have been affected. Medical teams have been deputed. Coast Guard have deployed two Chetak helicopters at Chennai for search and rescue. Pondicherry 25 villages have been affected. People living in low lying areas were evacuated to safer places and essential commodities provided Police and fire services have been pressed into service Medical assistance has been provided. One IL 76 load of relief material is being airlifted from Mumbai today. Sri Lanka Six MI-17 moved to Colombo yesterday for search and rescue and relief operations. Maldives. Despatch of 5.5 MT of food packets was arranged yesterday and 2.5 MT of food is being dispatched today. One IL 76 load of relief material is being airlifted from Mumbai today. Two AVROS which landed at Male with food and water have been retained there for further assistance to drop relief material collected locally. Three naval ships carrying medicines, medical teams, water, etc, have moved from Mumbai to Male with two helicopters. Note: Casualty figures have been separately released.