The death toll in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah has risen sharply, with the Disaster Management Centre confirming 474 deaths and 356 people missing after days of severe flooding and landslides. Kandy District remains the worst affected, recording 118 fatalities.
India has significantly expanded its humanitarian aid under Operation Sagar Bandhu, deploying air, sea, and ground assets to support relief efforts.
Supplies delivered to Trincomalee by INS Sukanya were airlifted by the Sri Lankan Air Force to isolated communities across the Eastern Province.
Further, Indian rescue teams carried out large-scale evacuations, with NDRF personnel in Puttalam assisting nearly 800 stranded residents, including expectant mothers and the injured.
Meanwhile, yesterday, the Indian Air Force helicopters have air-dropped over 5.5 tonnes of relief, evacuated dozens from inaccessible terrain, and transported critically injured survivors to medical centres.
A C-17 Globemaster also arrived with a rapidly deployable, modular, field hospital, complete with ambulances, trauma care units, and operating theatres to Sri Lanka yesterday, along with 73 medical personnel.