Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sukanya, carrying relief material, entered Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee on December 1. In a post shared on X, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated, “INS Sukanya enters Trincomalee with relief materials.” India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah triggered massive floods and landslides in the island nation.
Meanwhile, Indian rescue teams are working in coordination with the Sri Lanka Air Force, Navy, Army, Police, and local first responders to assist flood-affected communities. Evacuations, supply delivery, and emergency support efforts are underway across the island. Earlier in the day, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka announced that India’s C-130J aircraft carrying more than 4 tonnes of BHISHM Modular Trauma Cubes arrived in Sri Lanka on November 30.
“Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India’s C-130J aircraft, which arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday, carried more than 4 tonnes of BHISHM Modular Trauma Cubes — compact, durable mobile medical units equipped with diagnostic tools and surgical kits, designed for rapid deployment in disaster zones,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on X. Additionally, Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force evacuated 34 citizens, including children, from Kotmale to Colombo and also distributed medical aid and food supplies.
The death toll from the ongoing adverse weather conditions has risen to 355 while 366 people remain missing, local media reported, citing the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). The DMC stated that 1,118,323 people from 309,607 families have been impacted as heavy rains, floods, and landslides continue to affect several parts of Sri Lanka.
Communication challenges have continued to complicate rescue and coordination efforts in some of the worst-hit areas. The President’s Media Division said Sri Lanka’s telecommunications operators have agreed to prioritise emergency calls to ease network congestion and strengthen the response system.
