Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu — The Tamil Nadu government dispatched 300 tonnes of relief supplies to Sri Lanka on Saturday to assist communities hit by Cyclone Ditwah. The consignment — sugar, pulses and milk powder — was loaded onto three Indian Navy ships at Thoothukudi port, each carrying about 100 tonnes, and was flagged off by Social Welfare and Women’s Rights Minister P. Geetha Jeevan. The operation was coordinated under the supervision of Thoothukudi District Collector Ilambagavath, with Mayor Jagan Periyasamy and INS Kattabomman officer Anil Kumar present at the flag-off.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had announced that the state would supplement relief efforts already underway from the central government and the Indian Navy. Geetha Jeevan said the cyclone caused widespread devastation across Sri Lanka, leaving thousands without basic necessities. She added that Tamil Nadu had arranged relief materials worth Rs 7.65 crore — a total of 945 metric tonnes assembled in Chennai and Thoothukudi — of which 300 tonnes were sent from Thoothukudi port.
In parallel relief measures, the Indian Army under Operation Sagar Bandhu airlifted three sets of Bailey bridges from the Engineer Stores Depot at Delhi Cantt to Colombo to help restore critical connectivity. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) said more than 80 trucks were mobilised within 48 hours to prepare and load bridge components. The temporary bridges are intended to provide essential links for residents, relief teams and recovery operations.
Private-sector assistance has also been provided: Lanka Ashok Leyland donated seven utility vehicles valued at over Rs 65 million to Sri Lanka’s relief and rehabilitation efforts, with an additional Rs 2.5 million contributed by company employees. The handover was attended by Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and senior Sri Lankan officials; the vehicles were selected in consultation with local authorities to meet urgent operational needs.
The Indian Air Force airlifted a field hospital to Mahiyanganaya near Kandy on December 3. The facility is now fully operational; during its first 24 hours it treated about 400 patients, carried out 55 minor procedures and performed one surgical operation, the Indian High Commission in Colombo reported.
India’s combined assistance — medical support, transport infrastructure and essential supplies — continues to aid Sri Lanka’s recovery. According to the Daily Mirror Online, which cites Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre, 607 people have died and 214 remain missing due to the severe weather. Since November 16 the DMC says the crisis has affected 2,082,195 people from 586,464 families, destroyed 4,164 homes and partially damaged 67,505 others.
