Cyclone Ditwah: 400 Indians Evacuated From Colombo Airport Amid Severe Weather

(MENAFN- Live Mint) At least 400 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following the extreme weather conditions in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, were sent back home on Sunday.

“Around 150 of them were sent back to Delhi aboard flight C130 while 250 of them were sent to Trivandrum on flight IL 76 from the Bandaranaike International Airport here,” Sri Lankan officials said, as reported by PTI.

Both aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday carrying food and humanitarian aid for flash floods victims.

Also Read | Cyclone Ditwah LIVE: 3 killed in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu

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.

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Sri Lanka, Nov 30 (ANI): National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel undertake relief operations in close coordination with local authorities in areas affected by flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, on Sunday. (@DrSJaishankar/ANI Photo)
(@DrSJaishankar)

There was widespread flooding, landslides and severe service disruptions, including flight cancellations. The island nation is a popular tourist destination for Indians.

As at 2 am on Sunday, the latest data from Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) showed that at least 212 people have been killed and 218 missing since Thursday 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 No 94 773727832. (For WhatsApp also),” it said.

Heavy rainfall lashes Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to the North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts during the next 24 hours.

While moving northwards, the cyclonic storm will be centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 70 km and 30 km from the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by noon and evening today.

Also Read | Cyclone Ditwah Red Alert! IMD warns of heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry

The NDRF team has been deployed in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore as a precautionary measure. "An NDRF team from the NDRF 10th battalion has been stationed in Nellore as a precautionary measure of Cyclone Ditwah, which started from the Bay of Bengal. This team has 30 rescuers in total... Our team is in continuous contact with the district and state administrations... There has been no loss of any kind because of this cyclone yet...," Assistant Commander, NDRF, Pavan said.

The IMD on Sunday issued a red alert for the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts, as Cyclonic Storm Ditwah continues its northward trajectory over the southwest Bay of Bengal, steadily moving closer to the shoreline.

(With inputs from agencies)

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