Indian ships arrive in Sri Lanka with flood relief, China pledges USD2.2Mn

May 29, 2017 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's monsoon death toll rose to 164 with another 88 listed as missing as Indian ships arrived with relief supplies and China pledged US 2.2 million dollars in disaster aid.



The Indian navy ships INS Kirsh and INS Shardul have already reached the Colombo port over the week-end with a third INS Jalashwa also said to arrive by Monday, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The first vessel carried inflatable boats, diving teams and a mobile medical team with supplies and was met by Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake at the port.

Meanwhile the Chinese government also issuing a statement pledged US 2.2 million dollars disaster relief support for Sri Lanka.

“The Chinese government announced to donate emergency humanitarian disaster relief goods worth a total amount of RMB 15 million (about $ 2.2 million) to Sri Lankan people who were affected by floods and landslides," it said.

"The relief goods, which will be sent to Colombo by a chartered flight soon, include tent, blanket, sheet, rain boot and life jacket urgently needed by the Sri Lankan side.

” The Chinese Government will give full support to the disaster relief operations of the Sri Lankan Government. We believed that under the leadership of the Sri Lankan Government, Sri Lankan people will surely conquer the disaster and rebuild the homes at the earliest date possible, the statement added. The Red Cross Society of China also granted US 100,000 dollars in emergency humanitarian cash assistance to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society for their disaster relief efforts.