Sri Lanka continues to face severe destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with the death count rising to 153, while 191 people are still missing, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). Heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides have affected daily life across several districts.
Lakhs of People Affected, Thousands in Relief Camps
Latest official figures show that 774,724 people from 217,263 families across 25 districts have been affected by the cyclone.
Due to flooding and landslides, 100,898 people from 27,494 families are currently staying in 798 evacuation centres across the country. Communication problems in some of the hardest-hit areas are making rescue operations challenging.
India has stepped up its relief efforts in Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, extending strong support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. Indian rescue teams are working in coordination with the Sri Lanka Air Force, Navy, Army, Police, and local first responders to assist flood-hit areas. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed Mi-17 V5 helicopters in Colombo for urgent Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, while additional IAF aircraft are on standby for the large-scale evacuation of Indian nationals, with missions planned from Trivandrum and Hindan. Along with rescue operations, essential relief supplies such as Bhishm cubes and medical materials are also being airlifted to support affected regions.
Indian Navy Rescues People Trapped in Floodwaters
Two Indian Navy helicopters rescued eight people trapped by rising floodwaters in Pannala.
In total, four Indian helicopters are currently carrying out rescue missions across Sri Lanka including two flying from the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The aircraft carried out several sorties in Pannala, where many homes became unreachable due to fast-rising water levels. All rescued people were taken to safe locations and handed over to authorities.
Also Read: Heavy Downpour, Strong Winds As Cyclone Ditwah Approaches Tamil Nadu- Check Details
Weather Expected to Improve
Sri Lanka's President’s Media Division said telecom operators have been asked to prioritise emergency calls to reduce network congestion. Authorities expect the weather to start improving from Sunday, providing some hope to affected communities.
(From the Inputs of IANS)
