Operation Sagar Bandhu: India’s relentless relief and rescue efforts continue across Sri Lanka
Colombo, Dec 4 (LatestNewsX) – India is carrying on its steadfast humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Across several severely affected areas following Cyclone Ditwah, teams are busy with search and rescue, medical aid, and logistic support, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said Thursday.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is helping rebuild the Gampaha region, tackling the urgent need for clean drinking water by repairing wells and purifying water so families can access safe supplies and start returning to normal life.
The same NDRF units kept up high‑risk recovery work in Sedawatta and Nadeegama on Tuesday under treacherous water conditions, rescuing 52 people from a site where water rose to 8–10 feet and currents were strong. Rescue crews continued working in perilous circumstances to evacuate the most at‑risk individuals and secure each life.
“In Passara, Badulla, the NDRF is clearing thick, compacted debris in flood‑hit zones, and search‑and‑rescue efforts are ongoing,” the High Commission added. The teams are closely coordinating with Sri Lankan armed forces to free trapped civilians and deliver urgent relief.
Part of the relief operation saw Indian Air Force planes IFC 1875 and IFC 1885 load 1.9 tonnes of supplies from Colombo and 2.7 tonnes from Badulla to Kotmale, and ferry critical patients to Colombo for immediate treatment. IFC 1885 also hauled another 2 tonnes of aid from Katunayake to Kotmale. Further flights are scheduled to keep essential supplies flowing, a plan joint with Sri Lankan authorities. Helicopters also moved three critically ill patients to safer locations for urgent care.
Responding to the Sri Lankan Government’s appeal, India air‑lifted a movable modular Bailey Bridge system to the disaster‑hit area to restore critical connectivity. The massive structure was flown aboard a C‑17 Globemaster and can be installed in just a few hours, quickly replacing damaged bridges and greatly enhancing relief access. The same aircraft also delivered 500 water purification units requested by local authorities.
The shipment included 22 specialists, such as engineers to assemble the Bailey Bridge, and a medical team of doctors who joined the field hospital that had arrived from India earlier that Tuesday.
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