TWO transport aircraft of the IAF – C-130J and IL76 – delivered nearly 21 tonnes of relief material in Colombo on Saturday as part of India’s humanitarian assistance extended to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched to assist the island nation in its hour of crisis in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. Also, INS Sukanya, carrying more humanitarian aid, has left Visakhapatnam and is expected to reach Sri Lanka soon, officials said.

 

“A C-130J transport aircraft carrying approximately 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and readyto-eat food items, landed in Colombo today morning,” a senior official said on Saturday. An IL-76 aircraft carrying 9 tonnes of relief material,

 

80 NDRFpersonnel, fourcanines, and 8 tonnes of NDRF HADR (humanitarian assistance and disasterrelief) equipment also landedinColomboonSaturday morning, the official added. Besides, two Chetak helicopters from the IndianNavy’s aircraft carrier INSVikrant are participatingin the search and rescue operations with Sri Lanka Air Force personnel on board, they said. In the latest update issued by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC)inColombo, the death toll in Sri Lanka stood at

 

153, with 191 missing over the last four days as Cyclone Ditwah exited the country on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction and widespread damage to infrastructure. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, the first tranche of relief material was handed out after the consignments were transportedbyINSVikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri. More than 43,900 people from 12,313 familieshavebeen hitbytheextremeweatherconditions,according toSriLankan authorities. India has provided 4.5 tonnes of dry ration, two tonnesof freshration, andotheressentialreliefitems fromINS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri to assist the affected families, the officials said.