Colombo, Dec 6 — India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, met with corporate leaders connected to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund to discuss rehabilitation and recovery following Cyclone Ditwah. Jha outlined India’s relief response and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to stand with Sri Lanka during its recovery.
The High Commission in Colombo said the discussion focused on the way forward for rehabilitation and recovery efforts. The engagement complements India’s wider humanitarian and developmental assistance to Sri Lanka, which spans emergency relief, healthcare, and infrastructure support.
On the ground, Indian teams continue to provide medical and relief services. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, an Indian Army medical unit from the Shatrujeet Brigade, supported by engineer and signal teams, established a fully operational field hospital in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) said the team has treated more than 380 people, offering emergency surgical care, specialised medical support, and dedicated women and child services. The Integrated Task Force remains active in assisting affected communities.
Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC), quoted by the Daily Mirror Online, reports that 607 people have died and 214 remain missing due to the severe weather that began on November 16. The DMC estimates the cyclone and related conditions have impacted 2,082,195 people from 586,464 families across the country. So far, 4,164 homes have been destroyed and 67,505 sustained partial damage.
India’s diplomatic and on-the-ground relief efforts underline ongoing collaboration between the two countries as Sri Lanka begins recovery and rebuilding efforts after the storm.
