NEW DELHI: The Death toll caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka is now confirmed at at least 334, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported on Sunday. Nearly 400 people remain unaccounted for in the aftermath of the disaster.
As appeal for assistance from international agencies to help manage the crisis and support affected populations continues, external affairs minister S Jaishankar noted another 10 tons of disaster response aid being supplied to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
"Another @IAF_MCC C130J carrying approx 10 tons of disaster response supplies, BHISHM Cubes and a medical team for on-site training & support has landed in Colombo," he wrote.
Although rainfall has eased following a week of heavy downpours, many low-lying areas in the capital, Colombo, remain inundated. More than a million people have been affected by the flooding, according to authorities.
Rescue and relief operations are ongoing as officials work to reach stranded communities and provide essential aid. The government has warned that the situation remains critical in areas where floodwaters have not yet receded.
The cyclone, which brought unprecedented rainfall to the region, has caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, prompting concerns about public health and access to clean water.
The disaster has also sparked a medical crisis. Blood supplies have dropped to critically low levels, with blood bank chief Lakshman Edirisinghe reporting only 236 units collected on Saturday, well below the daily requirement of 1,500.
“Due to the floods and heavy rainfall, we were unable to carry out our mobile blood donation campaigns,” he said, urging people to donate at hospitals and blood banks, news agency ANI reported, quoting Al Jazeera
Authorities are also cautioning that saturated mountain slopes could lead to additional landslides in the coming days.
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