At least 80 people have lost their lives and hundreds remain unaccounted for as Cyclone Ditwah slammed into Sri Lanka, bringing torrential rainfall that triggered deadly landslides and widespread flooding. Central hill districts saw entire villages swept away or buried under tonnes of mud, while western and southern low-lying areas turned into vast inland lakes, leaving roads impassable and dozens of towns isolated as rescue efforts continued through Friday night.

The Disaster Management Centre confirmed that 43,991 individuals from more than 12,000 families have been directly affected, with thousands now sheltering in schools, temples and public buildings. Water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers continue to rise rapidly, posing an imminent threat to the capital Colombo and the densely populated Gampaha district. Prolonged power outages have darkened nearly one-third of the country, and the forced shutdown of two major hydropower plants has severely disrupted electricity supply to critical facilities.

India mounted an immediate response by activating Operation Sagar Bandhu, its dedicated humanitarian assistance programme for the Indian Ocean region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended personal condolences to Sri Lanka’s leadership and reaffirmed India’s commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its closest maritime neighbour during this devastating crisis.

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The aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the frigate INS Udaygiri, already on station in nearby waters, were swiftly redirected to Sri Lanka. By Friday evening the two warships had delivered 4.5 tonnes of dry rations, 2 tonnes of fresh provisions including rice, lentils, ready-to-eat meals, milk powder and medicines, plus blankets, tarpaulins and other essential survival items directly to the worst-affected zones.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has warned that Cyclone Ditwah is expected to re-intensify and approach the southwest Bay of Bengal near northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and southern Andhra Pradesh by November 30, placing millions along India’s east coast under fresh cyclone alerts.

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