Colombo, Nov 30: Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel continued to assist Sri Lankan authorities in rescue and relief efforts on Sunday in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah that killed over 330 people.
According to the latest figures released by Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre(DMC) at 6 pm on Sunday, 334 people have been killed, with 370 missing in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by Ditwah and extreme weather conditions since November 16.
A whopping 11,18,929 people from 3,09,607 families were affected by the extreme weather, DMC said.
The NDRF team carried out rescue operations in Kochikade, Colombo.
“Working closely with Sri Lankan authorities, they assisted families affected by severe flooding and helped ensure immediate safety,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on social media.
India sent two urban search and rescue teams comprising 80 NDRF personnel to the Island nation under Operation Sagar Bandhu, reaffirming the spirit of ‘Neighbourhood First.’
“@NDRFHQ personnel, in close coordination with local authorities, continue to undertake relief operations in Sri Lanka,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on social media.
In a daring operation, IAF helicopters undertook a hybrid rescue mission to extricate stranded passengers, including from India, Germany, Slovenia, the UK and South Africa, from a restricted zone.
“A Garud commando was winched down to guide the group through a cross-country route to a pre-briefed helipad at Kotmale, from where 24 passengers — including Indians, foreign nationals and Sri Lankans — were evacuated to Colombo,” the IAF posted on social media on Sunday.
In a parallel effort, three critical casualties were airlifted to Colombo for immediate medical attention, it said.
The IAF team also airlifted “five teams of Sri Lankan Army personnel (40 troops)” from Diyathalawa Army Camp to the landslide-affected Kotmale region to support relief operations.
“Together in times of need,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted after the IAF operation.
Two Chetak helicopters on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant also joined the rescue efforts.
In an extraordinary display of courage and grit, a family of four stranded on a rooftop was rescued by a Chetak team on Saturday.
“A family of four stranded on a rooftop was rescued by a Chetak helicopter from @IN_R11Vikrant on 29 November 2025. They were safely airlifted and brought to a secure location. #OperationSagarBandhu continues as India stands with the people of Sri Lanka,” the Indian mission said on Sunday.
A Bell 212 helicopter belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force, engaged in ongoing disaster relief operations, crashed on Sunday in the Lunuwila area of Wennappuwa, the Daily Mirror Online reported.
Several individuals on board the helicopter are reported to have sustained injuries in the accident, it said.
Meanwhile, the IAF has also positioned Mi-17 V5 helicopters in Colombo for swift Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
“IAF transport aircraft are earmarked for large-scale evacuation of Indian nationals, with multiple missions planned from Trivandrum and Hindan,” the IAF said.
Alongside evacuation, essential relief material, including Bhishm cubes and medical supplies, is also being airlifted to support affected communities, it added.
A batch of relief assistance facilitated by the Indian mission comprising essential supplies, dry rations, clothes and fuel was handed over to the Chief Secretary, Eastern Province and Trincomalee District Administration, it said.
According to the Indian mission, the relief material “include contributions from the Indian community in Colombo, which stands strong in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka, offering timely relief as Eastern Province continues to deal with #Cyclone Ditwah.”
Two transport aircraft of the IAF – C-130J and IL-76 – delivered nearly 21 tonnes of relief material in Colombo on Saturday as part of India’s humanitarian assistance extended to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
Also, INS Sukanya, carrying more humanitarian aid, has left Visakhapatnam and is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon, officials said on Saturday.
It is travelling around the cyclone and is expected to reach Sri Lanka on Sunday night or Monday morning.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo is also assisting the stranded Indian passengers here.
Over 320 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following the extreme weather conditions in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, were sent back home on Sunday. (PTI)
