The death toll in cyclone hit Sri Lanka has reached 479 with 350 still remaining missing, while the island braces for adverse weather conditions forecast for coming days.
Widespread destruction has been reported across multiple sectors in Sri Lanka due to the recent adverse weather conditions. According to the Commissioner-General of Essential Services, B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi, over 1700 tanks, 480 plus dams, and almost 2000 canals under the Department of Agricultural Services have been damaged.
Meanwhile, the Road Development Authority has said that 22 bridges within the road system have been destroyed, while the authority has managed to restore 246 previously obstructed roads to normal traffic flow.
India’s Operation Sagar Bandhu has now added a new dimension of assistance towards restoring connectivity to reach previously cut off regions of the island.
Indian Air Force Aircraft C17 Globemaster aircraft has delivered two 50 tonne Bailey bridges, one each yesterday and another today in addition to 500 Water Purification kits and other essential equipment. The bridge will help restore road connectivity in areas cut off in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah as it is a pre-fabricated, quick-deploy structure.
