Cyclone Ditwah: Sri Lanka bids farewell to 2 Indian Air Force choppers involved in relief work

Sri Lanka Air Force bid farewell to two IAF helicopters after they ended their rescue mission in cyclone-hit island nation, even as INS Gharial reached Trincomalee with 700 tonnes of essential relief material from Tamil Nadu.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers, which departed on Monday, were involved in airlifting immediate relief supplies to distressed communities, evacuating those affected and providing air cover for those involved in rescue missions in the aftermath of havoc caused by Cyclone Ditwah and adverse weather conditions.

“Their contribution significantly enhanced Sri Lanka's national disaster response during a period of urgent need,” the Sri Lankan Air Force said in a statement issued on their official website on Monday.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo said the helicopters evacuated 264 survivors and airlifted about 50 tonnes of relief material, adding that more Indian relief action was due.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy Ship (INS) Gharial reached Trincomalee. On Monday, with 700 tonnes of food items, essentials and clothing from Tamil Nadu.

“The consignment was formally received by Deputy Foreign Minister Hon Arun Hemachandra, who appreciated India's swift and sustained assistance,” the mission posted on social media on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu has sent about 1,000 tonnes of essential food items and clothes to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Of these, about 300 tonnes reached Colombo in 3 Indian Naval Ships on Sunday .

Additionally, the fully operational Indian field hospital Mahiyanganaya near Kandy, is delivering life-saving treatment to flood-affected communities.

“Equipped for trauma care, surgeries, ambulance support and critical medical services, the facility ensures urgent healthcare reaches where it matters most,” it added.

Indian Army's Engineering Task Force is also working alongside Sri Lankan authorities to restore connectivity along the main road arteries of Sri Lanka in the wake of devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, it said.

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha on Monday met Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media and discussed the ongoing efforts to bolster healthcare in Sri Lanka.

The two discussed "deployment of field hospitals and BHISHM Cube, providing urgent and quality health care to the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of #CycloneDitwah. They also discussed next steps to strengthen these efforts," it said.

As of Tuesday, 9 am, 638 people have been killed, with 191 missing, in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.

India was the first country to respond to Sri Lanka's international appeal for assistance under its Operation Sagar Bandhu.

A UNDP analysis released on Sunday said out of the estimated 2.3 million affected by Ditwah, more than half were women, and it hit 1.1 million hectares or almost 20 per cent of the island's land area.

The cyclone triggered 1200 landslides in the hill country, where the impact of devastation was severe.

“The floodwaters reached nearly 7,20,000 buildings, about one in every twelve buildings in the country. Over 16,000 kilometres of roads, enough to circle the island's coastline more than twelve times, were exposed to flooding. Similarly, over 278 km of railway tracks and 480 bridges were located in flooded areas,” Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, said.

Cyclone Ditwah struck regions already weakened by years of economic stress, he added.

“After one of its worst economic crises and a slow but steady recovery underway, Sri Lanka cannot shoulder more debt to cover the costs of a rebuild from this massive natural disaster,” he said.

International partners must step up with affordable financing and innovative instruments that enable a rapid recovery and rebuilding with greater resilience, without the country falling off the debt cliff, he added.