Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel continued to assist Sri Lankan authorities in rescue and relief efforts on Sunday in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah that killed over 330 people.
The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka facilitated the evacuation of 323 stranded Indians from the Bandaranaike International Airport here in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and other relevant officials.
“Two @IAF_MCC flights, an IL 76 with 247 passengers to Thiruvananthapuram and a C 130 J with 76 passengers to Delhi (Hindon), have taken off from Colombo,” the Indian High Commission said in a post on X.
Further evacuation of stranded passengers through commercial airlines are also under way, it said.Both the aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday carrying food and humanitarian aid for flash floods victims, Sri Lankan officials said.
As Sri Lanka battled the aftermath of the powerful cyclone Ditwah, Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Dr Satyanjal Pandey, met stranded compatriots at the Colombo airport on Saturday.
The Indian High Commission provided food and water to those who needed it, and also assured the stranded Indians that New Delhi will facilitate their swift travel back home.
Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency throughout the island nation after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread devastation as it left a trail of destruction and damage to infrastructure.
There was widespread flooding, landslides and severe service disruptions, including flight cancellations. The island nation is a popular tourist destination for Indians.
As at 6 am on Sunday, the latest data from Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) showed that at least 334 people have been killed and 370 missing across the island nation in cyclone-induced rainfall, floods and landslides.
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian High Commission here said in a post on X: “@Indiainsl is facilitating the swift return home of the Indian passengers stranded in. Evacuation flights by @IAF_MCC and commercial airlines (are) being facilitated today. Every stranded Indian will reach home at the earliest.”
Any distressed Indian citizen at the airports or any part of Sri Lanka in need of assistance may reach out to the emergency helpdesk number +94 773727832. (For WhatsApp also), it said.
The Indian High Commission also said that the stranded Indian passengers can also reach out to the Airline counters now operational at Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.