Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Tourism thanks India for aid amid Ditwah havoc

Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe on Monday thanked India and the National Disaster Response Force for their disaster response operations.

The High Commission of India in Sri Lanka said that the NDRF teams were working to deliver critical assistance wherever possible.

In a post on X, the High Commission said, "OperationSagarBandhu in Badulla. Deputy Minister for Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe thanked India and the National Disaster Response Force for their disaster response operations. A team from NDRF including landslide specialists is working in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities in Badulla district to recover landslide casualties and deliver critical assistance wherever possible. Badulla is one of the most severely impacted districts in Sri Lanka in the recent devastation in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah."



Meanwhile, more critical relief materials arrived at Trincomalee.

In a post on X, the High Commission said, "More critical relief materials arrived at Trincomalee today. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu INS Sukanya delivered another 12 tonnes of essential relief material to Trincomalee this morning, supporting ongoing rescue and relief efforts after Cyclone Ditwah. These were handed over to Sri Lanka authorities for immediate distribution."



The High Commission said that as India's policy of first responder.

"Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, another 12 tonnes of critical relief material have reached Trincomalee, Sri Lanka onboard INS Sukanya, today morning. India is strengthening Sri Lankan efforts for rescue and relief of distressed persons in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, one of the worst natural calamities to hit Sri Lanka in recent years," the statement said.



The MI 17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force continue rescue operations in Sri Lanka.

In a post on X, the High Commission said, "Under Operation Sagar Bandhu MI 17 helicopters continue rescue operations bringing stranded persons from inaccessible areas and delivering urgent relief to communities cut- off in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka."


Cyclone Ditwah is weakening into a "deep depression" as it nears India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. The death toll in Sri Lanka has gone up to 355, with another 366 people missing, as per Al Jazeera. (ANI)