Cyclone Ditwah: IAF ready for ‘large-scale evacuation’ of Indian nationals from Sri Lanka

Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Tamil Nadu, Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on Sunday (November 30).

As many as 149 cattle died and 57,000 hectares of farmland have been affected in the delta districts, the minister for Revenue and Disaster Management said.

“Three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents since last evening. While two persons died due to wall collapse in Tuticorin and Thanjavur, respectively, a 20-year-old youth died due to electrocution in Mayiladuthurai,” he said while briefing reporters at the State Emergency Operations Centre.

Also read | Cyclone Ditwah leaves 120 dead in Sri Lanka, heads to India

These incidents come as the region faces intensifying weather conditions linked to Cyclone Ditwah. After wreaking havoc in Sri Lanka, the cyclone is now driving Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry to brace for more torrential rains as it moves towards the Indian coast, the chief of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. The weather department has also issued a red alert for these regions.

IMD warns continued impact

IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said sea winds around Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have strengthened to 70–80 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching 90 km/hour, due to the cyclone’s impact.

He said that although the cyclone will pass about 50 kilometres off the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast on Sunday morning, its effects will persist until the evening.

The IMD chief also said no structural damage is expected, though standing crops may be affected.

“Heavy rainfall was recorded in coastal Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry in the past 24 hours due to its impact. We have sounded a red alert for these regions... Kerala may also witness isolated incidents of heavy to very heavy rainfall,” he said.

Trail of destruction in Sri Lanka

Earlier, Cyclone Ditwah prompted Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to declare a state of emergency across the island following the severe flooding and devastation it caused. An official gazette dated Friday and issued on Saturday confirmed that the state of emergency applies nationwide.

On Saturday, Cyclone Ditwah moved out of Sri Lanka after leaving 153 people dead and causing extensive damage to infrastructure, before making its way towards the south Indian coastline, meteorological officials said.

Also read | Cyclone Ditwah: Heavy rain likely in TN, Andhra till November 30

The official death toll stands at 153, while 191 people are still missing, according to news agency Reuters. The figure is expected to be much higher as severely affected areas suffer communication breakdown due to bad weather which has hampered verification of the impact from the disaster.

Operation Sagar Bandhu

Meanwhile, India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah triggered severe floods and landslides, deploying IAF C-130 and IL-76 aircraft carrying around 21 tonnes of relief material, essential supplies and over 80 NDRF personnel with specialised rescue dogs and equipment to Colombo.

The Indian Navy earlier delivered the first tranche of aid via INS Vikrant and INS Udaigiri, while additional NDRF teams have been stationed across vulnerable districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as part of precautionary measures. India has emphasised that the assistance reaffirms its “Neighbourhood First” commitment as Sri Lanka battles one of its worst recent disasters.

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