India launches Operation Samudra Maitri to help earthquake-tsunami affected Indonesia

October 4, 2018

India has launched massive humanitarian operation Samudra Maitri to provide assistance to earthquake and tsunami victims in Indonesia. The operation was launched after telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo and following Indonesia’s acceptance of international aid.

Operation Samudra Maitri

Under this operation, India has dispatched two aircraft C-130J and C-17 and three naval ships carrying relief material and personnel to the country. C-130J aircraft had carried medical team along with tents and equipments to set up field hospital. C-17 aircraft is carried medicines, generators, tents and water to provide immediate assistance. Three Indian Navy ships were deployed INS Tir, INS Sujatha and INS Shardul to carry out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

Background

A shallow earthquake of magnitude 7.5 (richter scale) had struck in neck of Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia on 28 September 2018 with its epicentre located in mountainous Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. The earthquake was located 77 km away from provincial capital Palu. This event was preceded by sequence of foreshocks, largest of which was a magnitude 6.1 tremor and followed by localised tsunami which had struck Palu, sweeping shore-lying houses and buildings on its way. The combined effects of earthquake and tsunami had led to deaths of at least 1,424 people and injured further 2,549. It was deadliest earthquake to strike Indonesia since 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, as well as deadliest earthquake worldwide so far in 2018. The earthquake also had caused major soil liquefaction in areas in and around Palu.