Sri Lanka’s disaster emergency worsened on Friday as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah rose to 153, with 191 people still missing. The Disaster Management Centre said that more than 774,000 people across all 25 districts have been affected, while over 100,000 are sheltered in 798 relief centres.
Indian and Sri Lankan air and ground teams are operating jointly, with helicopters conducting rapid extractions and delivering urgent supplies to cut-off areas.
Crucially, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency to speed up relief, rescue and rehabilitation as teams continue operations amid damaged roads, landslides and power outages. More from our correspondent;
“Cyclone Ditwah’s impact has left emergency teams racing against time as unstable weather and dangerous terrain continue to challenge rescue efforts. Across several districts, rescue teams are working around the clock, navigating washed-out roads, damaged bridges and isolated communities. India has stepped up assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with two Indian Navy helicopters rescuing eight people trapped by rising floodwaters in Pannala.
A total of four Indian helicopters, including two deployed from INS Vikrant, are conducting evacuations, supply drops and medical missions alongside Sri Lankan forces. Authorities warn that communication outages and blocked access routes are slowing assessments, even as medical teams attempt to reach vulnerable groups. At this crucial juncture, Indian High Commission has been assisting stranded Indian passengers at the Bandaranaike Airport in Colombo providing them with food, water and other assistance as air disruptions continue.
