New Delhi, 1 December (H.S.): In the aftermath of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditva in Sri Lanka, an Indian Air Force aircraft carrying the last group of stranded Indian nationals from Colombo arrived safely in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday under Operation Sagar Bandhu. The operation, jointly conducted by the Indian Air Force, Navy, and Sri Lankan authorities, aimed at providing emergency relief and evacuation support to those trapped in flood-hit areas.Before boarding the aircraft, the rescued passengers raised patriotic chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” expressing gratitude toward the IAF personnel for their swift and selfless service.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, oversaw the evacuation efforts and bid farewell to the departing group at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. By Sunday night, over 300 Indian nationals had been airlifted back home.Working closely with Sri Lankan officials, the IAF carried out extensive rescue operations in the landslide-hit Kotmale region, which had been completely cut off due to blocked roads.
Throughout the day, IAF helicopters evacuated 45 stranded individuals, including six critically injured people and four children, transporting them safely to Colombo.To reinforce on-ground relief efforts, the Air Force also airlifted 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel to affected zones for rescue and cleanup operations.
According to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre, at least 334 people have been confirmed dead and 370 remain missing. The district of Kandy has witnessed the highest toll, with 88 deaths and 150 people missing, followed by 71 deaths in Badulla, 68 in Nuwara Eliya, and 23 in Matale. The cyclone has impacted 3,09,607 families—over 1.1 million people—rendering nearly 196,000 homeless.
Described as one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in Sri Lanka’s history, the cyclone has submerged major cities, destroyed key bridges, and crippled essential infrastructure. Responding swiftly to its neighbour’s crisis, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to deliver humanitarian assistance. In addition to evacuation missions, the IAF transported 21 tonnes of relief material, over 80 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, and eight tonnes of medical and emergency supplies to flood-affected Colombo.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy’s INS Sukanya arrived at the Trincomalee Port carrying critical relief provisions for cyclone-hit communities.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
