Cyclone Ditwah: Sri Lanka's Dissanayake Declares State Of Emergency To Tackle Disaster Relief Ops, Toll Rises To 132

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Cyclonic Ditwah: Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday declared a state of emergency to tackle disaster relief operations as Cyclone Ditwah exited the country, leaving 132 dead.

Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, which grants him sweeping powers to deal with the devastation.

The cyclone has caused massive destruction and damag to infrastructure. The extreme weather system has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes across the country.

Also Read | 'Rain Rain Go Away': 54 flights cancelled in Tamil Nadu due to Cyclone Ditwah

“We noticed Ditwah exiting Sri Lanka and heading towards the Indian coast. However, its indirect impact with heavy rains and high speed winds will remain for some time,” Athula Karunanayake, director general of the meteorology department, told reporters.

“I, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, considering it necessary that the services provided by any Public Corporation or Government Department or Local Authority or Co-operative Society or any branch thereof being a Department or Corporation or Local Authority or Cooperative Society, which is engaged in provision of the services specified in the Schedule hereto, is essential to the life of the community and is likely to be impeded or interrupted due to the severe adverse weather condition currently prevailing, declare the services specified in the Schedule hereto to be an essential public service for the purposes of the aforesaid Section,” reads the proclamation order under the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979.

Also Read | Cyclone Ditwah: Flights, trains cancelled as storm approaches Indian coasts Services essential to the life

- All services connected to the supply of electricity.

- The supply or distribution of fuel, including petroleum products and gas.

- All service, work or labour, of any description whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with the maintenance, and the reception, care feeding and treatment, of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, and other similar institution.

- Public transport services for the transportation of passengers or goods.

- The Facilitation and maintenance of transportation services and tourism services by road, rail, or air, including highways, bridges, culverts, airports, ports, and railways.

Also Read | Cyclone Ditwah: Tamil Nadu schools shut, Puducherry University postpones exams

- All services connected to the supply of water and drainage.

- All services connected with the supply, safeguard, and distribution of food and essential commodities.

- All type of services, works, or labour contributions which should be carried out or required to be carried out by District.

- Secretariats, Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Development Offi cers, Agricultural Research Assistants, Community Empowerment Offi cers, Offi cers of the Clean Sri Lanka Centralized Team, including all field level offi cers of all District and Divisional Secretariats.

- Ambulance services.

- All state banking and insurance services including the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

- Any services carried out by any Local Authorities for the supply of water, electricity, drainage and sewerage systems, fire-fi ghting and ambulance services, scavenging and the removal of garbage (including the carriage and disposal of feces), and all services carried out by Local Authorities.

- All services connected to the irrigation.

- All services connected to the telephone, telecommunication, and media.

- All services connected to the reclamation and development of low-lying lands.

- All services connected to the agriculture and agricultural insurance services.

India has launched Operation Sagar Bandh to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.

India sent around 21 tonnes of relief materials in two military transport aircraft.

C-130 J plane carried approximately 12 tons of humanitarian aid including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food items.

Two Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant took off for Search and Rescue Operations with Sri Lankan airforce personnel onboard.

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