Cyclone Ditwah | DD News

January 31, 2026 4:32 PM

India dispatches 10 more Bailey Bridges to Sri Lanka

India on Saturday dispatched to Colombo a consignment of 10 Bailey bridges to help restore critical connectivity in areas severely affected by Cyclone Ditwah. "India continues to stand with Sri Lanka to support reconstruction efforts after Cyclone Ditwah. To assist restoration of critical connectivity, a consignment of 10 Bailey bridges was dispatched today from Visakhapatnam to Colombo aboard INS Gharial," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X. According to the MEA, the supply of...

December 23, 2025 6:24 PM

Jaishankar meets Sri Lankan Tamil leaders, discusses India’s post-Ditwah assistance

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met leaders of the Indian origin Tamil community in Colombo on Tuesday during his visit to Sri Lanka. “Met in Colombo the leaders of the Indian Origin Tamil community. They shared their assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Highlighted our proposed reconstruction package,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X. The External Affairs Minister also interacted with Sri Lankan Tamil leaders in Colombo and underlined India’s commitment to recon...

December 23, 2025 12:48 PM

India announces USD 450 million reconstruction package for Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah

India on Tuesday announced a USD 450 million reconstruction assistance package for Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, reaffirming its role as a first responder and close neighbour under its Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR policies. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is in Colombo as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conveyed the assistance during his meetings with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumar Dissanayake and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. The assist...

December 12, 2025 5:04 PM

Operation Sagar Bandhu: India sends engineering support, medical aid to Cyclone Ditwah-hit Sri Lanka

India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide comprehensive humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread devastation and disrupted critical infrastructure across the island nation. In line with India’s Neighbourhood First policy, an Engineer Task Force (ETF) of the Indian Army - comprising 48 specialised personnel - has been airlifted to Sri Lanka to help restore essential lines of communication. The team includes bridging experts, su...

December 9, 2025 12:16 PM

Op Sagar Bandhu: Indian Army restores bridges, provides medical aid in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, the Indian Army is continuing its humanitarian assistance in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah, providing critical engineering support and high-quality medical care in close coordination with the Sri Lankan Army and civil administration. The Engineer Task Force (ETF) of the Indian Army has begun retrieval and de-launching operations of the damaged Puliyampokkanai Bridge at Jaffna. The Indian Army is supporting Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority (RDA) by...

December 4, 2025 11:16 AM

Cyclone Ditwah: Heavy rain forecast for Chennai, Tiruvallur districts; schools closed

Heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclonic Storm Ditwah over the Bay of Bengal has led authorities to close schools in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts as a precautionary measure. Several coastal areas in Chennai, Tiruvallur and neighbouring districts witnessed intense downpours accompanied by strong winds as the weakened system lingered over the region. Citing persistent rain and widespread waterlogging, Chennai District Collector Rashmi Siddharth Jagde extended the school holiday for Thursday, mark...

December 3, 2025 9:54 AM

Heavy rain forecast in western Tamil Nadu; schools closed in several districts

Heavy rain is expected across the western parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting intense showers in Nilgiris, Erode and Coimbatore districts. The rainfall is associated with the remnants of Cyclone Ditwah, which weakened into a deep depression and later into a low-pressure area near the Tamil Nadu coast. Chennai and its neighbouring districts - Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram - continued to receive steady rain from early morning, f...

December 2, 2025 9:42 AM

Cyclone Ditwah: PM Modi speaks with Sri Lankan President; assures continued Indian assistance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. According to official figures, the cyclone has claimed 355 lives, while 366 people remain missing. During the conversation, PM Modi said that the people of India stand firmly with Sri Lanka during this difficult time. He also assured India’s continued support as the country deals with th...

December 1, 2025 9:19 PM

India to remain ‘First Responder’ in line with Vision MAHASAGAR, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on Monday to review the situation in the country following the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. During the conversation, the Prime Minister expressed condolences on the loss of lives and extensive damage across several regions of Sri Lanka. He said the people of India stand firmly with Sri Lanka in this hour of distress. President Dissanayake conveyed his deep gratitude for India’s t...

December 1, 2025 12:01 PM

Death toll hits 212 as Sri Lanka struggles with Cyclone Ditwah impact

Sri Lanka's death toll from Cyclone Ditwah climbed to 212 with 218 missing, officials said on Sunday, as flood waters breached a dam and rescue operations continued into a fourth day. Nearly a million people are impacted by heavy rains and floods that swept through large parts of the south Asian island nation forcing nearly 200,000 people into 1,275 shelters, the Disaster Management Centre said in a statement. Record rains lashed the country from last Thursday causing multiple landslides in th...