Colombo: Sri Lanka on Friday grappled with one of its worst disasters as cyclonic storm Ditwah wreaked havoc, causing floods and landslides that left more than 80 dead, amid a trail of destruction and damage to infrastructure.
India launched ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis, and the first tranche of relief materials was handed over after the consignments were transported by the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to the island nation.
The relief came as Sri Lankan authorities warned of an “unprecedented disaster situation” in the Western Province from Friday night due to rising water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers.agencies