India sends in relief to flood ravaged Myanmar

On a request from Myanmar, India has flown in 100 tonnes of food items and medicines as aid to its eastern neighbour which is reeling under floods and landslides.

"About 100 tonnes of food and medicines have been air dropped in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, which is reeling under floods and landslides due to unprecedented rains," Indian Air Force spokesperson Amit Mahajan said on Friday.

On Thursday, one C-17 aircraft delivered 48 tonnes of rice, noodles and medicines to Mandalay directly, while another airlifted about 45 tonnes to Guwahati, he said. One C-130 airlifted ten tonnes of relief supplies from Delhi and landed in Kalay afternoon on Thursday and the remaining aids were delivered today using the C-130J aircraft, Mahajan said.

Rainfall caused widespread floods and landslides in Myanmar's Chin and Rakhine states and the Magway and Saigang region in which over 2.5 lakh people were affected and several lakh acres of farmland were destroyed. Myanmar President Thein Sein had on August 4 sought international assistance for the affected people of his country.