Indian team of armed medical personnel land in Yangon

HELPING HAND: Many countries have been sending aid to Nargis hit Myanmar.

Other stories in the section:

Cyclone-hit Myanmar restricts international aid

A boat-ride through Irrawaddy River Delta reveals the despair of those affected.

• Freak storm in summer kills 100 in N India
• Myanmar: India to send doctors to help survivors
• Mandela turns 90, speaks out for the poor
• Khaleda Zia's son temporarily freed from detention

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• Cyclone-hit Myanmar restricts international aid
• Freak storm in summer kills 100 in N India
• Myanmar: India to send doctors to help survivors
• Mandela turns 90, speaks out for the poor
• Khaleda Zia's son temporarily freed from detention

Keywords: Indian Aid, Cyclone Nargis

New Delhi: Responding swiftly to the request by Myanmar, an Indian team of 50 army medical personnel has landed in Yangon on Saturday.

A fresh planeload of medicines for relief work to the country has also been sent to Myanmar, where a devastating cyclone killed thousands of people and left millions shelterless.

The team will split up into two groups and are expected to be deployed in the cyclone hit Irrawaddy delta shortly.

Defence sources said they would be in Myanmar for at least two weeks. They are the first foreign medical team to be allowed into Myanmar since the cyclone.

New Delhi's response came after the Myanmar Military authorities sent in an SOS on Tuesday, sources said. India has already sent over 12 million tonnes of relief material worth over Rs 8 crores comprising tents, blankets, medicines, water purifiers and other relief material to the

cyclone-hit country.

The ruling military regime has revised the death toll to more than 77,000 with at least 56,000 missing.

However, aid agencies believe the death toll is more than 1,20,000 with some British agencies warning that the toll is closer to two lakh.