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INS Sukanya brings in relief to East, medical support stepped up

Published

5 months ago

2025/12/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Indian HC Jha visits Indian personnei deployed at Sedawatta near Colombo.

Operation Sagar Bandhu in full swing:

India has stepped up assistance to Sri Lanka with the deployment of INS Sukanya to bring in urgently needed relief supplies to the Eastern Province, devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. The Indian High Commission Colombo spokesperson said that in addition the IAF C17 Globemaster aircraft brought in men and material required to enhance medical relief operations.

The following is the text of statement issued by the spokesperson: “India continues to expand its humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with extensive air, sea, and ground operations delivering urgent relief to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. The relief consignment brought to Trincomalee on 01.12.2025 by INS Sukanya of the Indian Navy was swiftly transported by the Sri Lankan Air Force to several severely impacted areas across the Eastern Province, ensuring that essential supplies reached families isolated by flooding and landslides.

Indian rescue teams continued large-scale life-saving evacuations across multiple districts, bringing vulnerable residents from remote and inaccessible areas to safety. In Puttalam, NDRF personnel rescued individuals in distress – including expectant mothers, those requiring immediate medical attention – and delivered essential supplies to nearly 800 stranded people through difficult, door-to-door operations. Across the central region, Indian Air Force helicopters carried out critical missions, air-dropping more than 5.5 tonnes of relief material and conducting high-risk extractions from locations where landing was impossible. Several severely injured survivors were winched up from a remote area near Ganthuna and flown to Rivisanda for emergency treatment.

In close coordination with Sri Lankan Air Force, the IAF IFC 1885 flew essential relief to Poramadulla and transported personnel from Nuwara Eliya to support ongoing response efforts. The IAF IFC 1875 helicopter further intensified these operations by airlifting more than 2,000 kilograms of essential goods to Mandaram Nuwara and evacuating people in urgent need of medical care. In Kotmale, twenty-four individuals – including women and children – were safely rescued and transported to Colombo. On Tuesday (02), IAF helicopters airlifted more than 8 tonnes of relief material, and evacuated 65 stranded persons including children, pregnant women and those critically ill. Citizens of Germany and Australia were among those evacuated yesterday. These sustained and coordinated missions ensured that those most at risk were relocated swiftly to secure locations and hospitals.

High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha visited Sedawatta near Colombo on Tuesday (02) to review ongoing NDRF rescue operations. The High Commissioner also interacted with affected residents and local authorities coordinating the ground response. At this site, NDRF teams are conducting meticulous door-to-door evacuations and distributing essential relief in heavily inundated areas around Nadeegama on the banks of the Kelani River, where floodwaters have risen up to six to eight feet. 52 persons were evacuated from here yesterday. NDRF team in Badulla continues search operations in landfall areas. One deceased person was recovered after complex excavation operations, yesterday.

In a major reinforcement of medical assistance, IAF C17 Globemaster aircraft brought in, a rapidly deployable, modular, field hospital, complete with ambulances, trauma care units, operation theatres etc., to Sri Lanka yesterday, along with 73 medical personnel. The field hospital was handed over to the Sri Lankan side by High Commissioner H.E. Santosh Jha. The field hospital will be deployed to cater to urgent medical requirements in flood-hit and landslide hit areas.

India remains steadfast in its support for the people of Sri Lanka during this challenging time. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, relief efforts continue around the clock-on the ground, at sea, and in the skies-ensuring that help reaches where it is needed most.”

Indian personnel carry body of a victim (pics courtesy IHC)

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 23.04.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 24.04.2026

Accordingly,

Level 1 landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Rideegama in the Kurunegala district and Kuruwita, Kalawana, Ratnapura, Nivithigala, Pelmadulla and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Ampara and Batticaloa districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 12.00 noon 23 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 23 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
• Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

News

Compensation payments and reconstruction activities related to the Ditwah relief measures must be expedited with special attention at the district level – PM

Published

18 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that compensation payments and reconstruction activities related to the Ditwah relief measures must be expedited with special attention at the district level. She further stated that all necessary allocations have already been made to Provincial Councils and instructed that the progress of disaster damage assessments and reconstruction efforts be closely monitored at the provincial level.

The Prime Minister made these remarks at a discussion held on Tuesday (21) at Temple Trees under her patronage, aimed at informing Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees and public representatives from disaster-affected districts, in order to accelerate the implementation of the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme. The discussion focused on expediting disaster relief and compensation payments, as well as the swift restoration of infrastructure damaged by the disaster.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Rs. 500 billion has been allocated for damages caused by the Ditwah cyclone, and that all relevant development activities must be completed before the end of 2026. The Prime Minister also instructed officials to pay special attention to resolving issues at the local level that are causing delays in compensation payments.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President, G.M.R.D. Aponsu, stated that the estimated cost for reconstruction following the Ditwah cyclone is approximately USD 3.4 billion. Accordingly, funds have been allocated for compensation across several sectors including housing and social infrastructure, agriculture and livestock, fisheries, industry and livelihoods, and irrigation. He further noted that 99% of the Rs. 25,000 allowance has already been disbursed, while 95% of the Rs. 50,000 resettlement allowance has been paid. Compensation for fully and partially damaged houses is still ongoing, and 99% of temporary relief centres have been closed.

Additionally, attention was drawn to several other measures, including providing Rs. 25,000 to affected schoolchildren, paying Rs. 1 million as compensation for each deceased individual, compensation for children who lost one or both parents, support for persons with disabilities affected by the disaster, compensation for agricultural losses, and expediting resettlement of displaced families. Measures such as allocating land for new housing construction and accelerating the issuance of reports from the National Building Research Organization were also discussed.

Focus was also placed on the reconstruction of affected schools, hospitals, and daycare centres, improving the accuracy and speed of data collection at the local level, and accelerating infrastructure development.

The event was attended by Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dr. Chandana Abayarathna, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperatives R.M. Jayawardena, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madhura Senevirathna, Members of Parliament, Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees, Chief of Staff to the President and Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Additional Secretary to the President Jayantha Bandara; and officials of the Prime Minister’s Office.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]