Thiruvananthapuram: The last batch of Indians stranded in Sri Lanka due to Cyclone Ditwah reached Thiruvananthapuram early on Monday.
The group of 104 people was transported from Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to the Kerala capital by an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, around 6.30 am, as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, the Indian High Commission said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, New Delhi intensified its assistance to Colombo’s rescue operations. As of Sunday, 334 people have been killed and 370 are missing in Sri Lanka due to the catastrophic floods and landslides caused by the cyclone.
In a press release, the Indian mission said India has intensified its assistance to Sri Lanka’s rescue efforts and expanded operations across several affected regions.
While Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant have airlifted several people to safer locations, IAF helicopters carried out search operations in Kotmale, a worst-hit central hill area with no road access due to landslides and flooding, it said.
“National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, India’s specialised Disaster Response Agency for Search and Rescue and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) activities, who arrived yesterday in Colombo, carried out rescue operations in Kochikade, working closely with Sri Lanka authorities,” the release said.
NDRF teams are now working in Puttalam and Badulla areas, which are severely impacted and cut off, it was mentioned in the release.
“NDRF assisted families affected by severe flooding and helped ensure their immediate safety,” it said.
The Sri Lanka Air Force, meanwhile, confirmed the death of a pilot after a Bell 212 helicopter crashed while trying to deliver relief supplies in Wennappuwa on the north-western coast.
The incident happened when the pilot was steering the chopper away from crowds on the ground and attempting a water landing in a bid to avoid civilian casualties. Five other air force personnel are in critical condition.
The Sri Lanka Navy has also confirmed that five sailors who went missing during rescue operations in Chundikulam in the northern province were found dead.
This is being considered the worst natural disaster to hit the island nation in recent times. Sri Lanka is grappling with severe infrastructure collapse that may require months to restore.
