Colombo: As Sri Lanka recovers from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, India is going all out to help its battered southern neighbour.
Besides carrying tonnes of relief materials, the Indian Air Force is also rescuing several persons stranded due to services hit by the cyclone.
Among those rescued was a Pakistani national.
Deployed by Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka as part of ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’, the Mi-17 helicopters also evacuated German, South African, Slovenian and United Kingdom citizens.
The Pakistani national was rescued in the second leg of the operation, along with citizens of Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia and Bangladesh.
Among those rescued were four infants.
In a hybrid rescue mission, a Garud commando guided the Army personnel group through cross-country route to a helipad at Kotmale, from where 24 passengers — Indians, foreign nationals and Sri Lankans — were evacuated to Colombo, according to the Air Force.
Three persons in critical condition were also airlifted to Colombo for urgent medical attention.
Around 400 Indian nationals stranded at Colombo airport were sent home on Sunday.
More than 210 people have died and 220 are missing in Sri Lanka as the cyclone left behind a trail of damaged houses, inundated towns and villages, and blocked roads.
Cyclone Ditwah, one of the most severe weather systems to hit Sri Lanka in recent years, brought heavy rainfall across the island nation over several days, leading to extensive flooding and scary landslides.
India was the first country to respond to the Sri Lankan crisis.
