India Steps Up Relief Efforts for Cyclone Ditwah-Hit Sri Lanka: Over 300 Evacuated, 21 Tonne Aid Sent

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In a massive relief operation, India has evacuated over 300 of its citizens stranded in Sri Lanka due to severe flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The devastating cyclone has left a trail of destruction, claiming over 330 lives and affecting more than 1.3 million people across the island. The Indian Air Force (IAF) played a crucial role in the rescue efforts, deploying its IL-76 and C-130J heavy-lift carriers to transport rescue supplies, NDRF teams, and stranded passengers. Notably, the IAF aircraft brought back the final group of 104 stranded Indians on Monday morning. As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, India has deployed specialized rescue teams and emergency supplies to help the worst-affected communities. A total of 21 tonnes of essential items, including tents, blankets, mattresses, and dignity kits, were flown in last weekend to support the relief efforts. The IAF has also been involved in multiple missions to airlift stranded individuals, including 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel from Diyathalawa Army Camp and Colombo to Kotmale. Additionally, two Indian helicopters have successfully evacuated 55 civilians, including Indians, foreign nationals, and Sri Lankan survivors, to Colombo. The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has stated that India has stepped up its support for Sri Lanka's rescue work, expanding operations across several affected regions. Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant have been moving people to safer locations, while NDRF teams are working in Sri Lanka's Puttalam and Badulla areas, which remain badly affected and cut off. The death toll from the floods and landslides has risen to 334, with many people still missing. Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promised to rebuild the affected areas with international assistance. The scale of destruction in the central region is becoming clearer as workers clear roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides.