Daijiworld Media Network - Colombo

Colombo, Dec 1: As Sri Lanka reels from severe flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, India has intensified its humanitarian response under Operation Sagar Bandhu. On Monday, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sukanya arrived at Trincomalee port carrying essential relief supplies.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar confirmed the development on X, noting the vessel’s arrival with much-needed aid for affected communities.

Operation Sagar Bandhu has been launched to support Sri Lanka’s nationwide relief efforts, with Indian teams working closely alongside the Sri Lankan Air Force, Navy, Army, Police, and local emergency responders. Joint evacuation operations, supply transport, and emergency assistance are ongoing across multiple districts.

Earlier, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka announced the arrival of a C-130J aircraft transporting over 4 tonnes of BHISHM Modular Trauma Cubes — compact mobile medical units equipped for rapid disaster-zone deployment.

Additionally, Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters evacuated 34 people, including children, from Kotmale to Colombo while also delivering food and medical supplies to isolated communities.

Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported a rising human toll, with 355 confirmed deaths and 366 individuals still missing. More than 1.1 million people across 309,607 families have been affected as relentless rains continue to batter large parts of the country.

Rescue efforts have been hindered by communication blackouts in severely impacted regions. In response, the President’s Media Division announced that all major telecom operators have agreed to prioritise emergency calls to reduce network congestion and improve coordination during the crisis.