Colombo, Dec 5 (IANS) Continuing with its relentless relief and rescue efforts under the ongoing Operation Sagar Bandhu, an Indian medical team has been busy setting up a field hospital in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy in Sri Lanka to ensure that residents in hard-hit region receive medical assistance in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.
In a statement shared on X, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka stated, “Operation Sagar Bandhu continues healing on the ground. A fully operational field hospital is being set up by the Indian medical team in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy, bringing trauma care, surgical capability, ambulances and critical services directly to a hard-hit community. Ensuring those impacted have access to urgent, life-saving medical support.”
India continues its unwavering humanitarian support to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with intensive search, rescue, medical, and logistics operations underway across multiple affected regions in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday airlifted people who were stranded from Kotmale to Katunayake for further medical care. The video shared by the Indian High Commission shows Indian Air Force personnel helping people as they get down from the helicopter.
“IAF helicopters safely airlifted those stranded from Kotmale to Katunayake yesterday for further medical care and assistance,” Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on X.
On December 4, the C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the IAF carrying Bailey Bridge units landed in Sri Lanka to restore connectivity along vital road links of the island nation.
In a post on X, Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka wrote, “Yet another C-17 Globemaster of IAF landed in Sri Lanka carrying Bailey Bridge units. These modular structures can be rapidly assembled, within hours to restore connectivity along vital road links of Sri Lanka. A 25-member expert team, including engineers for helping in bridge installation and medical personnel to support the field hospital also arrived, reaffirming India’s continued solidarity with Sri Lanka in its time of need.”
Rescue and evacuation operations continue in Sri Lanka as the island nation experienced extreme weather conditions, flash floods and landslides due to Cyclone Ditwah and the resulting weather system. As many as 481 people have been missing while 345 others remain missing as of 6 pm (local time) due to the severe weather conditions in Sri Lanka since November 16, Sri Lanka’s leading media outlet Daily Mirror reported citing citing Disaster Management Centre (DMC).
According to DMC, a total of 506,680 individuals from 1,814,534 families have been affected by the disaster in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, 1967 houses have been completely destroyed while 50,173 houses have suffered partial damage due to adverse weather conditions in Sri Lanka.
–IANS
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