Cyclone Ditwah Death Toll Climbs to 474 in Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka’s humanitarian crisis deepened on Wednesday as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah rose to 474, with 356 people still missing, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre. 

Days of relentless flooding and landslides have devastated multiple regions, with Kandy District emerging as the worst affected, accounting for 118 deaths.

India has significantly bolstered its assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu, deploying a combination of air, sea, and ground resources to aid rescue and relief efforts. 

Relief materials delivered to Trincomalee by INS Sukanya were swiftly airlifted by the Sri Lankan Air Force to isolated communities across the Eastern Province.

On the ground, Indian emergency teams have been crucial in mass evacuations. NDRF personnel in Puttalam rescued nearly 800 stranded residents, including expectant mothers and injured individuals trapped by rising waters.

The Indian Air Force has also stepped up operations, air-dropping more than 5.5 tonnes of relief supplies, evacuating dozens from inaccessible areas, and transferring critically injured survivors to medical facilities. 

A C-17 Globemaster aircraft arrived yesterday carrying a modular field hospital equipped with trauma care units, operating theatres, ambulances, and 73 medical personnel, further strengthening medical response capabilities on the island.

With rescue operations ongoing and vast regions still submerged, authorities caution that the toll may continue to rise as search teams reach previously cut-off areas.