Cyclone Ditwah weakens into deep depression; all stranded Indians airlifted from Lanka

In a daring operation, IAF helicopters undertook a hybrid rescue mission to extricate stranded passengers, including from India, Germany, Slovenia, the UK and South Africa, from a restricted zone.

“A Garud commando was winched down to guide the group through a cross-country route to a pre-briefed helipad at Kotmale, from where 24 passengers — including Indians, foreign nationals and Sri Lankans — were evacuated to Colombo,” the IAF posted on social media on Sunday.

In a parallel effort, three critical casualties were airlifted to Colombo for immediate medical attention, it said. The IAF team also airlifted “five teams of Sri Lankan Army personnel (40 troops)” from Diyathalawa Army Camp to the landslide-affected Kotmale region to support relief operations.

“Together in times of need,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted after the IAF operation.

Two Chetak helicopters on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant also joined the rescue efforts.

In an extraordinary display of courage and grit, a family of four stranded on a rooftop was rescued by a Chetak team on Saturday.

“A family of four stranded on a rooftop was rescued by a Chetak helicopter from @IN_R11Vikrant on 29 November 2025. They were safely airlifted and brought to a secure location. #OperationSagarBandhu continues as India stands with the people of Sri Lanka,” the Indian mission said on Sunday.

Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel continued to assist Sri Lankan authorities in rescue and relief efforts on Sunday in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah that killed over 330 people.

According to the latest figures released by Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6 pm on Sunday, 334 people have been killed, with 370 missing in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by Ditwah and extreme weather conditions since November 16.

A whopping 11,18,929 people from 3,09,607 families were affected by the extreme weather, DMC said. The NDRF team carried out rescue operations in Kochikade, Colombo.

“Working closely with Sri Lankan authorities, they assisted families affected by severe flooding and helped ensure immediate safety,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka posted on social media. India sent two urban search and rescue teams comprising 80 NDRF personnel to the Island nation under Operation Sagar Bandhu, reaffirming the spirit of ‘Neighbourhood First.'

“@NDRFHQ personnel, in close coordination with local authorities, continue to undertake relief operations in Sri Lanka,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on social media.

Over 200 Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka due to Cyclone Ditwah were evacuated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and brought to Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday, a Defence spokesman said.

IAF aircraft operated from Colombo to Thiruvananthapuram landed by 7.30 pm, according to the spokesperson, “Another 135 personnel are expected to land by 11 pm in C-130 J aircraft,” a press release said.

According to the Defence spokesperson, IAF’s IL-76 and C-130J heavy lift carriers, which were used to deliver rescue material and NDRF teams to the island nation, were used for the evacuation of stranded passengers.

Cyclone Ditwah weakened into a deep depression and the weather system would be centred over southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 20 km from the coasts of North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by morning of December 1, the Regional Meteorological Centre said on Sunday evening.

“The cyclone is moving at a speed of 5 kmph and the system would be centred over southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 40 km and 20 km from the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by the morning of tomorrow, December 1,” the bulletin said.

The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday said that nearly 7,900 pregnant women nearing delivery have been identified in the districts, where cyclone Ditwah is expected to bring more rainfall and 375 of them have already been shifted to hospitals as a precautionary measure.

Andhra Pradesh medical, health and family welfare Commissioner Veerapandian said that the Medical and Health Department is taking steps to move the remaining women to nearby hospitals to ensure timely medical care.

“A total of 7,871 pregnant women due for delivery soon have been identified, and 375 of them have already been shifted to hospitals as a safety measure,” said Veerapandian in an official press release.

The Commissioner noted that medical staff across ten districts have been instructed to remain vigilant, and hospital superintendents were directed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the cyclone impact.

He said that arrangements are also being made to conduct medical camps depending on the severity of cyclone Ditwah in various regions.

Puducherry Home and Education Minister A Namassivayam on Sunday announced that all schools—including private and government-aided institutions—across the four regions of the union territory would remain closed on December 1.

The holiday has been declared as a precautionary measure in view of heavy rains expected under the influence of cyclone Ditwah, the minister said in a release.

Further arrangements are being monitored by the administration, he added.