India sends ships with relief material to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

India on Thursday rushed two Naval ships with relief material to Sri Lanka which has been severely hit by tropical cyclone Roanu.

Navy said two Naval ships, one Naval Off Shore Patrol (NOPV) INS Sunayna and one survey vessel INS Sutlej, are being sent to Colombo coast from Southern Naval Command in Kochi.

"INS Sutlej with relief material has already embarked its journey to Colombo harbour from Southern Naval Command in Kochi. INS Sunayana will leave for Sri Lanka from the Kochi coast shortly," a Navy spokesman said here.

The cyclone has wreaked havoc along Sri Lankan coast. 43 people have been killed and 133 were missing following massive landslides and floods in the Kegalle region.

Schools throughout the country have been closed as a precaution.

Heavy rainfall is expected in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha as the storm will move away from Lanka tracking northeastward into Bangladesh and Myanmar.