India sends two field hospitals to Sri Lanka

India has sent two aircraft carrying field hospitals and medical personnel as part of its emergency assistance to Sri Lanka's tsunami survivors, the high commission said in Colombo on Saturday.

At least 140 doctors and other medical workers will be stationed in field hospitals, which will be deployed in the southern province, one of the worst-hit areas in Sunday's tsunami destruction.

Already, some 1,000 Indian relief workers are working side by side with Sri Lankan military personnel and aid workers from other countries like Japan, Russia, Israel and France.

An estimated 29,000 were confirmed killed and another 14,000 reported missing in the natural disaster that also made about a million people homeless.

At least 100 tonnes of relief material, including tents and inflatable boats and over 1,500 kilograms of medicines have been sent from India, the high commission said in a statement.

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Six MI-17 helicopters are carrying dry rations, drugs and drinking water to the affected areas made inaccessible by debris-strewn roads and broken bridges. They were also rescuing people marooned by the heaving waves.

Four naval vessels with diving teams have been stationed at the southern and northeastern ports of Galle and Trincomalee since Monday. They brought with them medical supplies, general relief items and inflatable boats.