The island nation of Sri Lanka is reeling from a major disaster as Cyclone Ditwah unleashed torrential rains, catastrophic floods, and deadly landslides, claiming at least 123 lives. The official count was announced by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) on Saturday, which also reported that 130 people remain missing.
The scale of the tragedy is immense, with more than 200,000 individuals from 61,000 families severely affected. However, relief officials in the Central Province warn that the final death toll could be significantly higher, as unverified reports from the Kandy district alone suggested over 50 fatalities by late Friday.
Regions Ravaged and Rivers Overflow
The central hills have borne the brunt of the destruction. The district of Badulla was particularly devastated by landslides, resulting in over 35 confirmed deaths and many more missing persons. The situation in low-lying areas took a turn for the worse on Saturday.
Authorities were forced to issue urgent evacuation orders for residents living along the banks of the Kelani River, which flows through the capital, Colombo, into the Indian Ocean. The river burst its banks on Friday evening, displacing hundreds who had to seek refuge in temporary shelters.
Weather Update and India-Bound Cyclone
While the rains have subsided in most parts of the country, including Colombo, the northern regions continued to experience showers due to the residual effects of the cyclone. The DMC confirmed that the weather system is now moving away from Sri Lanka and towards neighbouring India.
The Indian weather bureau has predicted that Cyclone Ditwah is expected to make landfall between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh between the evening of November 29 and the morning of November 30. Its impact is anticipated to be widespread across several Indian states.
India's Swift Response with Operation Sagar Bandhu
In a swift demonstration of regional solidarity, India launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to assist Sri Lanka. The Indian Navy deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to deliver the first tranche of relief materials.
Further amplifying the effort, the Indian Air Force airlifted 21 tonnes of relief material along with over 80 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and eight tonnes of equipment to the flood-ravaged nation. This essential aid, including rations and critical supplies, is aimed at supporting the displaced communities as they face one of Sri Lanka's worst natural disasters in recent times.
