New Delhi [India], November 27 (ANI): The Indian Navy delivered approximately 67 tons of medical aid to Yemen to assist communities affected by catastrophic flash floods that took place in the southern and southeastern parts of the country in August.

In a post on X, the Navy said that the aid, packed in 4,572 boxes, was delivered on Tuesday by Indian Naval Ship (INS) Chennai as part of India's ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The Indian Navy in the post further stated that the mission highlights its commitment to extending timely humanitarian support and underscores India's role as a reliable partner and first responder in the region.

'INS Chennai successfully undertook humanitarian assistance in Yemen, delivering approx 67 tons of medical aid (4572 boxes) on 25 Nov to support communities affected by catastrophic flash floods. This mission underscores the Indian Navy's unwavering commitment to extending humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, reaffirming India's role as a reliable partner and first responder in the region,' the Indian Navy said in the X post.

The relief material aims to support affected communities in Yemen, which have been severely impacted by recent flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the region.

According to Anadolu Agency, the flash floods in Yemen were caused by heavy rainfall and claimed atleast 14 lives across several provinces in the country.

India was among the early countries to actively support Yemen's independence from British rule. It was among the first to recognise the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) in 1962 and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) in 1967. In 1990, YAR and PDRY merged to become the Republic of Yemen.

As a long-standing friend of Yemen, India has always prioritised the humanitarian needs of Yemen and has extended humanitarian assistance to Yemen through the supply of medicines and food commodities in the past.

As part of India's Vaccine Maitri Initiative, 360,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses via the COVAX facility were supplied to Yemen in March 2021. Since April 2022, India has also exported more than 250,000 tons of wheat to Yemen to mitigate the adverse impact of supply disruptions in global commodity markets. (ANI)