India sends relief items, rescue teams to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

India dispatched search and rescue teams and relief materials such as food items, tents and blankets to Sri Lanka on Saturday to help people affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which killed 153 people across the country, with another 200 reported missing.

- Rezaul H Laskar

An I-76 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried two urban search and rescue teams, comprising 80 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and nine tonnes of relief materials to Colombo as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu (on Saturday), external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on social media.

The search and rescue teams, comprising 80 personnel and four dogs, have specialised humanitarian assistance and disaster relief equipment and are led by PK Tiwary, commandant of the 8th Battalion of NDRE.

Another C-130J transport aircraft of the IAF carried 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Colombo, while the Indian Navy warships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri, which were in Sri Lanka for an international fleet review, delivered 6.5 tonnes of rations and other essential relief items on Friday.

The IAF and the Indian Navy mobilised four helicopters to help with the search and rescue missions. Two Chetak helicopters from the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, with Sri Lankan air force personnel on board, rescued several people in the cyclone-hit areas.

Another two Mi-17 helicopters of the IAF reached Sri Lanka on Saturday evening to bolster search and rescue efforts. They also carried essential humanitarian supplies and personnel to support relief operations.

The helicopters will work closely with Sri Lankan authorities for search and rescue missions, the Indian high commission in Colombo said.