At least 400 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following extreme weather conditions in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka were sent back home on Sunday.
“About 150 of them were sent back to Delhi on board flight C130, while 250 of them were sent to Trivandrum on flight IL 76 from the Bandaranaike International Airport here,” Sri Lankan officials said, as reported by PTI.
Both planes arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday with food and humanitarian aid for flash flood victims.
Read also | Cyclone Ditwah LIVE: 3 killed in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu
As Sri Lanka grappled with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, India’s Acting High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Dr. Satyanjal Pandey met the stranded countrymen at the Colombo airport on Saturday.
The Indian High Commission provided food and water to those in need and also assured the stranded Indians that New Delhi would facilitate their quick journey back home.
Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency across the island nation after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread devastation as it left destruction and damage to infrastructure.
Sri Lanka, Nov 30 (ANI): National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on Sunday are undertaking rescue operations in close coordination with local authorities in areas affected by the floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah. (@DrSJaishankar/ANI Photo)(@DrSJaishankar)
There was widespread flooding, landslides and severe service disruptions, including flight cancellations. The island state is a popular tourist destination for Indians.
At 2am on Sunday, the latest figures from Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center (DMC) showed that at least 212 people have been killed and 218 missing across the island nation in cyclone-triggered rainfall, floods and landslides since Thursday.
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian High Commission here in a post on X said, “@Indiainsl facilitates speedy return home of stranded Indian passengers. Evacuation flights by @IAF_MCC & commercial airlines facilitated today. Every stranded Indian will reach home as soon as possible.”
Any Indian citizen in distress at the airports or in any part of Sri Lanka and in need of assistance can contact the emergency number 94 773727832. (also for WhatsApp),” the statement said.
Heavy rains lash Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclonic storm Ditwah is very likely to move almost north parallel to the North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast during the next 24 hours.
Moving northwards, the cyclonic storm will concentrate over SW Bay of Bengal at a minimum distance of 70 km and 30 km from the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast by noon and evening today.
Read also | Cyclone Ditwah Red Alert! IMD warns of heavy rains in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
An NDRF team has been deployed in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore as a precautionary measure. “An NDRF team from the 10th battalion of the NDRF has been deployed in Nellore as a precautionary measure against Cyclone Ditwah, which took off from the Bay of Bengal. This team has a total of 30 rescuers… Our team is in round-the-clock contact with the district and state administrations… There has been no casualty so far due to this cyclone…,” said Assistant Commandant Pavan, NDRF.
The IMD on Sunday issued a red alert for northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining southern coastal Andhra Pradesh as cyclonic storm Ditwah continues its northerly trajectory over the southwest Bay of Bengal and is steadily approaching the coast.
(With input from agencies)
