Jakarta, Dec. 3 -- Indonesia has deployed two naval hospital ships to reinforce emergency medical services in flood-hit Aceh and North Sumatra, the country's Navy chief said Wednesday, as the military expands sea and air support to speed up relief operations across the disaster zone.

Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali said one hospital ship will remain on standby in Lhokseumawe after making an initial stop in Aceh Tamiang, while the second will operate from Sibolga.

The ships, he said, are positioned to reach communities where clinics and local hospitals are either overwhelmed by the surge in patients or unable to function because of flooding, power cuts or blocked access routes.

He said both vessels carry full medical teams, inc...