In a swift response to the devastating Cyclone Ditwah that has claimed over 80 lives in Sri Lanka, India has launched a comprehensive humanitarian mission to assist its maritime neighbor. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Saturday that a C-130J aircraft carrying approximately 12 tonnes of critical relief supplies has successfully landed in Colombo.
Operation Sagar Bandhu: India's Rapid Response
The aid delivery is part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, which India initiated on Friday as an immediate response to assist cyclone-affected areas in Sri Lanka. Sharing the development on social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote: "#OperationSagarBandhu unfolds. @IAF_MCC C-130J plane carrying approximately 12 tons of humanitarian aid, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food items, lands in Colombo."
This aerial delivery follows the initial relief consignments that were transported by the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline warship INS Udaigiri, which arrived in Colombo on Friday and handed over essential supplies to Sri Lankan authorities.
Cyclone Ditwah's Devastating Impact
The humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka has reached alarming proportions as Cyclone Ditwah continues to wreak havoc across the island nation. According to latest reports, more than 80 people have died as the storm unleashed heavy rains across multiple provinces since adverse weather began on November 16.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has reported 61 confirmed deaths with 25 people still missing. The scale of displacement is massive, with nearly 44,000 individuals from over 12,000 families affected by the catastrophic weather conditions.
Infrastructure damage has been severe, with the DMC reporting four homes completely destroyed and more than 600 partially damaged in the ongoing deluge. The crisis intensified as Sri Lanka's Western Province faced warnings of an "unprecedented disaster situation" due to rising water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers.
India's Solidarity and Continued Support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, conveying his grief over the lives lost in the cyclone and extending solidarity with India's "closest maritime neighbour." In a post on X, PM Modi emphasized that India had swiftly dispatched relief supplies and critical Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) equipment under the operation.
"We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves," said PM Modi, adding that the support was guided by India's Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR.
The Sri Lankan Meteorological Department has issued warnings that several districts in the Northern, North-Central, Central, North-Western, Sabaragamuwa and Western Provinces are expected to receive over 200 mm of rain. Rainfall above 150 mm is also likely in parts of Trincomalee, Badulla, Galle and Matara, potentially exacerbating the already critical situation.
This disaster represents one of the most severe natural calamities to hit Sri Lanka in recent years, with widespread damage to infrastructure and rising casualties testing the nation's emergency response capabilities.
