Cyclone Ditwah: PM Modi announces ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’, says India stands firmly with Sri Lanka in its hour of need
New Delhi, Nov 28 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the Sri Lankan people who have lost family members in Cyclone Ditwah. He further announced that India has dispatched relief supplies and humanitarian assistance under “Operation Sagar Bandhu.”
On X, PM Modi wrote: “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.” He added that India was ready to provide additional aid as the crisis unfolded and that the country would continue to support Sri Lanka in line with its Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed that the Indian naval ships INS Vikrant and INS Udaigiri had delivered relief goods to Colombo. “Operation Sagar Bandhu commences. INS Vikrant and INS Udaigiri hand over relief material at Colombo. Further steps are underway,” he posted on X.
Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre reported 56 fatalities, 14 injuries, and 21 missing persons linked to the storm. It cited that 43,991 individuals from 12,313 families were affected, with four homes completely destroyed and 666 partially damaged, according to the Daily Mirror. The country continues to suffer from intense rainfall, rising floodwaters, and landslides, disrupting daily life across many regions.
Airport officials noted that, since 10:55 pm Thursday, 15 arrivals at Bandaranaike International Airport were diverted due to unsafe conditions. Flights were redirected to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Trivandrum, and Cochin.
The India Meteorological Department issued a cyclone alert for the coasts of North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh. It stated that Cyclone Ditwah, over coastal Sri Lanka and the southwestern Bay of Bengal, had moved north‑northwest at 10 km/h, centering at 08:30 hrs IST on 28 November, roughly 40 km southwest of Trincomalee. The system was 100 km northwest of Batticaloa, 320 km south‑southeast of Karaikal, 430 km south‑southeast of Puducherry, and 530 km south of Chennai. The IMD warned that the storm would likely continue north‑northwest and reach the Bay of Bengal near North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coasts by the morning of 30 November.
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