Sri Lanka is battling widespread devastation in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, as the death toll climbed to 410 and 336 people remain missing, the Disaster Management Centre reported in its 10 a.m. update today. The disaster has affected over 1.4 million people across all 25 districts, with Kandy recording the highest fatalities at 88, followed by 83 in Badulla, 75 in Nuwara Eliya, 52 in Kurunegala, and 27 in Puttalam. Amid the mounting crisis, India has further intensified humanitarian assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Indian Air Force helicopters delivered 2,000 kg of aid to Mandaram Nuwara and evacuated 17 people, including a heart patient, from Irunguwatta.
Another sortie airlifted 24 passengers – among them a pregnant woman, five children, and foreign nationals- from Kotmale to Colombo. IFC 1885 returned after flying 2,000 kg of relief to Poramadulla and moving 19 troops to support ground operations. India’s High Commissioner Santosh Jha interacted with flood-hit residents in Sedawatte near the Kelani River and met with the NDRF personnel engaged in ongoing search and rescue operations
