Maldives water crisis: India sends help

Carrying a large consignment of water, first aircraft, an IL-76 arrived in the city at around 1.15pm.

Amid crisis, Maldivian government contacted the Indian government on Thursday night, officials said.

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "Ms Dunya Maumoon Foreign Minister of Maldives spoke to me last night that there was urgent need of drinking water in Maldives.Because of the closure of their water supply facility due to fire.I spoke to the Hon'ble Prime Minister last night and he has promised all help to Maldives."

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told media: "We intend to have five flights today for the purpose. The first one was an IL 76. Total of five flights will carry 200 tonnes of drinking water today."

"We will have another five flights tomorrow. So, there will be ten flights of drinking water to be carried. We’ve also made arrangements for two ships to move to Maldives. The INS Sukanya, which was in Colombo, has set sail for Maldives and it would be reaching there late tonight. It has two reverse osmosis plants which can, in a day, function for about 200 tonnes of water. Also, we’ve requested another Indian ship that is INS Deepak which will leave tomorrow and will reach Male day after tomorrow, " he said.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi assured Maldives President

Mohamed Nasheedthat the country 'stands shoulder to shoulder' with Maldives.

"I assure you President @MohamedNasheed that India stands shoulder to shoulder with Maldives & together we will take our ties further ahead," Modi tweeted.

"Recently I had a fruitful meeting with President Abdulla Yameen. We are committed to extending a helping hand to the best of our abilities," he said.

Thanking Modi, Nasheed tweeted: "I thank the people of India, their Military and Govt. for their quick and kind assistance for the ppl of Maldives in every instance of need."