TNIE online desk
Sri Lanka reels from Cyclone Ditwah as toll rises to 153, prompting nationwide emergency and massive relief mobilisation
Over 15,000 homes were destroyed and nearly 78,000 people displaced as Cyclone Ditwah unleashed relentless rain and landslides, marking one of Sri Lanka’s worst disasters in recent years.
Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Satyanjal Pandey met stranded Indian passengers at Bandaranaike International Airport amid the disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
India, under Operation Sagar Bandhu, swiftly sent 21 tonnes of relief supplies to Sri Lanka via IAF C-130 and IL-76 flights from Hindon Air Base on November 28-29.
A red cyclone warning remains for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh as the system moves north over the next 24 hours, says IMD.
Despite weakening, Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rains to Tamil Nadu’s coast, with Karaikal recording 191 mm, Nagapattinam 113 mm, and Cuddalore 96 mm.
Chennai, which has experienced subdued rainfall activity so far under the storm’s influence, may finally see some activity if cloud cover returns.