Cyclone Ditwah: Death toll climbs to 69 in Sri Lanka as India launches Op Sagar Bandhu for relief

Colombo [Sri Lanka], November 28 : The death toll from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 69, with 34 people still missing as of Friday, as the country continues to face severe weather conditions. India commenced Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to the affected island nation.

According to The Daily Mirror Online, citing Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the adverse weather, which began on November 16, has affected 219,286 individuals from over 63,000 families across the country.

The DMC further reported that four houses have been destroyed, while 666 others suffered partial damage.

As part of the operation, Indian naval ships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri handed over relief materials to Sri Lankan authorities in Colombo, as confirmed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a post on X.

"Operation Sagar Bandhu commences. INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri hand over relief material at Colombo. Further steps are underway," Jaishankar said in his post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, who have lost loved ones due to Cyclone Ditwah.

In a gesture of solidarity, PM Modi stated that India has dispatched relief materials and vital Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support under Operation Sagar Bandhu.

"My heartfelt condolences to the people of Sri Lanka who have lost their loved ones due to Cyclone Ditwah. I pray for the safety, comfort and swift recovery of all affected families. In solidarity with our closest maritime neighbour, India has urgently dispatched relief materials and vital HADR support under Operation Sagar Bandhu," PM Modi said in a post on X.

He further noted India's humanitarian help to Sri Lanka is guided by its "Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR".

"We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves. Guided by India's Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, India continues to stand firmly with Sri Lanka in its hour of need," the Prime Minister added.

In its latest forecast, the Sri Lankan Meteorological Department warned of very heavy rainfall exceeding 200 mm in parts of the Northern, North-Central, Central, North-Western, Sabaragamuwa and Western Provinces, The Daily Mirror Online reported.

Rainfall above 150 mm is also expected in the Trincomalee, Badulla, Galle, and Matara districts.

The department further cautioned that other regions of the island may experience fairly heavy showers above 75 mm.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday provided a further update on Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, which is currently over coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal.

According to the IMD, the storm has been moving north-northwestward at 7 kmph over the past 6 hours.

As of 1730 hrs IST on November 28, the cyclone was centred near latitude 8.7°N and longitude 80.9°E, approximately 40 km west-northwest of Trincomalee, 140 km northwest of Batticaloa in Sri Lanka, 270 km south-southeast of Karaikal, 380 km south-southeast of Puducherry, and 490 km south of Chennai.

"The Cyclonic Storm Ditwah [Pronunciation: Ditwah] over coastal Sri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with the speed of 7 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centered at 1730 hrs IST of today, the 28th November 2025 over the same region, near latitude 8.7°N and longitude 80.9°E, about 40 km west-northwest of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 140 km northwest of Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), 270 km south-southeast of Karaikal (India), 380 km south-southeast of Puducherry (India) and 490 km south of Chennai (India)," the IMD stated in a post on X.

The department further warned that the storm is very likely to continue moving north-northwestwards across the Sri Lanka coast and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal. It is expected to reach the southwest Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by the early morning of November 30.

"It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards across Sri Lanka coast & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal and reach over southwest Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by early morning of 30th November," it added.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today also issued an extraordinary gazette notification designating several key sectors as essential services, as reported by The Daily Mirror Online.

The services now classified as essential include electricity supply, distribution of petroleum products and fuels (including gas), hospitals, water supply, and public transportation.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and Mass Media also announced a one-week health emergency from November 28 to December 4 to ensure uninterrupted medical services in the wake of the ongoing disaster, The Daily Mirror Online reported.

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