Cyclone Ditwah: IAF planes to airlift 800 people out of Sri Lanka today

More than 800 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated from cyclone-hit Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) planes—an IL-76 and a C-130—will airlift the passengers from Colombo to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. These planes will undertake multiple sorties between the two cities, subject to weather conditions. If additional sorties are possible, the IAF could evacuate more than 800 people.

Since Thiruvananthapuram is a major aviation hub, the evacuated people can take connecting flights to their onward destinations.

Both the planes have been sent to Sri Lanka with relief supplies and an additional team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The IL-76 has already landed in Colombo on Sunday morning, and the C-130 would arrive later in the day.

On Saturday, the Indian High commission in Sri Lanka had asked stranded Indian passengers to register their details via an online link. Passengers can also register themselves at the emergency help desk at Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.

Acting High Commissioner Satyanjal Pandey met stranded Indian nationals at the airport and assured them of all possible assistance. He conveyed that the Government of India will facilitate their swift return.

In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, Sri Lanka is currently facing widespread flooding, landslides and severe service disruptions, including flight cancellations.