India has rushed further humanitarian support to Sri Lanka as the island nation struggles to recover from Cyclone Ditwah, which has triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and severe damage to critical infrastructure. The official death toll crossed 485 on Thursday evening, with more than 340 people still missing and entire districts cut off from essential services.
A C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force arrived on Thursday carrying movable Bailey Bridge systems. These modular structures are designed to rapidly replace damaged bridges and restore road access in areas where relief teams have been unable to reach. According to the High Commission of India in Colombo, the bridges can be assembled within hours and provide immediate connectivity in areas hit by landslides and extreme flooding.
India’s latest assistance also includes twenty five specialised personnel, among them engineers trained in installing bridge systems and a medical team assigned to support the field hospital already operating on the ground. Earlier deliveries included five hundred water purification units to help address the shortage of clean drinking water in affected communities.
Engineers who arrived on Wednesday have begun reconnaissance and bridge installation work in priority locations. The Indian mission said their efforts will help emergency services move faster, deliver supplies, and reconnect isolated families.
Cooperation between the two countries has also expanded in the digital space. Officials from Andhra Pradesh held a virtual meeting with Sri Lankan authorities to share a “digital toolkit” detailing successful strategies in disaster preparedness, data management, and rapid response operations.
Humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka is being carried out under Operation Sagar Bandhu, which includes coordinated air, sea, and land efforts to support disaster relief. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s continued support during one of the worst natural disasters in recent years.
According to the Disaster Management Centre, more than 1.84 million people from over five lakh families have been affected across the country. Over 1,300 relief camps are currently sheltering more than 1.8 lakh people. Damage to electricity networks and fuel shortages have slowed the restoration of mobile connectivity, although authorities report that around seventy five percent of mobile services have returned.
Officials warn that the economic losses from Cyclone Ditwah could reach between six billion and seven billion United States dollars, equal to as much as five percent of Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product. As the crisis deepens, accidental deaths among rescue workers have also increased, underscoring the scale of the challenge faced by relief teams working in dangerous conditions.
Sri Lanka continues to appeal for international support, while Indian rescue teams remain on the ground to help rebuild damaged infrastructure, restore access, and provide essential services to communities still stranded by the cyclone.