Colombo: A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team rescued a nine-month pregnant woman in Sri Lanka’s Puttalam district and moved her to a safer location as rescue and relief operations intensify across the island nation following the havoc caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The woman, after being safely evacuated, was given an immediate medical checkup.
Indian rescue teams have intensified operations under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched November 28 to deliver urgent search-and-rescue assistance and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support to what India has described as its “closest maritime neighbour” after the cyclone’s devastation.
Sharing details of the pregnant woman’s rescue, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka stated, “Operation Sagar Bandhu continues to stand by those who need it the most.”
Cyclone Ditwah has inflicted widespread destruction and is being described as one of the worst disasters in Sri Lanka’s recent memory, claiming more than 350 lives, while nearly 400 people are still reported missing, according to local media reports.
Colombo and Gampaha districts are among the most severely affected regions, with over 437,000 people impacted and 212 shelters currently functioning. In Gampaha alone, 218,899 individuals have been hit by the cyclone’s fury, with nine deaths and two missing persons reported.
In Badulla, an NDRF team recovered the body of a deceased individual in a challenging operation where the remains were located beneath more than five feet of debris. Search efforts at the site are still in progress.
Badulla and Nuwara Eliya districts have experienced severe landslides, with Badulla recording 71 deaths and Nuwara Eliya 75. Kandy has reported the highest death toll so far at 88, while 150 people remain missing, according to local media outlet News First.
In the northern and eastern parts of the island, Trincomalee is sheltering 15,086 displaced people, while Mannar has reported nearly 80,000 affected. Ampara has confirmed eight deaths, and Monaragala has reported three fatalities.
Across Sri Lanka, 1,564 safety centres have been established, accommodating 218,526 individuals from 61,612 families. The extent of destruction includes submerged towns, collapsed roads, and severely disrupted communication networks, local media reported.
Relief efforts continue on a large scale, supported by military personnel and aerial operations that are delivering food, clean water, and medical supplies to the affected regions.
