Cyclone Ditwah: Over 150 dead, hundreds missing in Sri Lanka

Over 150 people have died while hundreds others are missing as the Cyclone Ditwah fury continues to ravage most part of Sri Lanka, with impact felt in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu in India Sunday

Colombo: Over 150 people have died while hundreds others are missing as the Cyclone Ditwah fury continues to ravage most part of Sri Lanka, with impact felt in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu in India Sunday.

The Department of Meteorology Sri Lanka in an advisory asked the local residents to remain vigilant about the “impending extreme weather situation”, warning the risk level is high in northern and central Sri Lanka through Sunday.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency on Saturday to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone and appealed for international aid.

Relief operations are underway, and nearly 44,000 people have been moved to state-run welfare centers after their homes were destroyed in the rains, AFP reported.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also issued a red alert, as authorities in Sri Lanka battled rising floodwaters and the cyclonic storm over the southwest Bay of Bengal advanced northwards at a speed of 7 kmph, posing a severe threat to the northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.

Operation Sagar Bandhu

In the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah across Sri Lanka, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to bolster relief efforts.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed one C-130 and one IL-76 from Hindan Air Base on the night of 28/29 Nov 2025, airlifting 21 tonnes of relief material along with over 80 NDRF personnel and 8 Tonnes of equipment to Colombo.
Essential rations and critical supplies have been delivered to support affected communities, the IAF said in a statement.

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