Badulla [Sri Lanka], December 1 (ANI): Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ruwan Ranasinghe, on Monday expressed gratitude to India and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for their disaster response operations following Cyclone Ditwah.
The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka highlighted that NDRF teams, including landslide specialists, are working closely with Sri Lankan authorities in Badulla district to recover landslide casualties and provide critical assistance. “Operation Sagar Bandhu in Badulla. Deputy Minister for Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe thanked India and the National Disaster Response Force for their disaster response operations. A team from NDRF, including landslide specialists, is working in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities in Badulla district to recover landslide casualties and deliver critical assistance wherever possible. Badulla is one of the most severely impacted districts in Sri Lanka in the recent devastation in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah,” the High Commission said in a post on X.
Additional critical relief materials arrived at Trincomalee. “More critical relief materials arrived at Trincomalee today. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, INS Sukanya delivered another 12 tonnes of essential relief material to Trincomalee this morning, supporting ongoing rescue and relief efforts after Cyclone Ditwah. These were handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for immediate distribution,” the High Commission noted.
The statement emphasized India’s role as a first responder: “Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, another 12 tonnes of critical relief material have reached Trincomalee, Sri Lanka onboard INS Sukanya today morning. India is strengthening Sri Lankan efforts for rescue and relief of distressed persons in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, one of the worst natural calamities to hit Sri Lanka in recent years.”
Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters continue rescue operations, bringing stranded individuals from inaccessible areas and delivering urgent relief to communities cut off by the cyclone. “Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, Mi-17 helicopters continue rescue operations, bringing stranded persons from inaccessible areas and delivering urgent relief to communities cut off in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka,” the High Commission added.
Cyclone Ditwah is weakening into a deep depression as it approaches India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu. The death toll in Sri Lanka has risen to 355, with 366 people still reported missing, according to Al Jazeera.
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