India sends 21 tonnes of relief to Sri Lanka as Cyclone Ditwah leaves devastation

The Indian Air Force delivered 21 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka on Saturday, along with over 80 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and eight tonnes of equipment, to assist those displaced by severe floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

“In the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah across Sri Lanka, India swiftly launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to bolster relief efforts,” the Indian Air Force said in a social media post.

The relief operation involved the night-time deployment of a C-130 and an IL-76 from Hindon Air Base, which airlifted essential food items, medical supplies, and critical equipment to affected areas. A C-130 carrying rations and sanitary supplies arrived at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport around 1.30 am, where it was received by officials from the Indian High Commission and Sri Lanka Air Force.

The Indian Air Force described the mission as a reaffirmation of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, standing with Sri Lanka during its crisis. This operation follows the earlier delivery of relief material via the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported at least 123 deaths and 130 people missing as of Saturday morning, with more than 200,000 individuals from 61,000 families affected by the floods and landslides.

Officials in the Central Province’s Kandy district warned that the death toll could be significantly higher, with over 50 fatalities reported in Kandy alone. Badulla district also suffered heavily, with more than 35 deaths and numerous people missing due to landslides.

Cyclone Ditwah has triggered widespread flooding, causing spills in major reservoirs and rivers, prompting authorities to order mass evacuations. The Sri Lankan Department of Meteorology has forecasted further rainfall exceeding 200 mm, though the storm is expected to leave the island by late Saturday.

Power outages have affected nearly 35 per cent of Sri Lanka, leaving approximately seven million customers of the Ceylon Electricity Board without electricity. Restoration efforts have been slowed by continuous rain and flooding, further complicating relief and rescue operations across the island.

With PTI inputs