Cyclone Ditwah wreaked havoc in Sri Lanka, leaving at least 56 people dead and 14 others injured. Another 14 individuals remain missing after the storm.
According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), nearly 44,000 people have been affected by the extreme weather conditions triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.
Ditwah, which began as a deep depression, has intensified into a cyclonic storm over coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal.
Schools were closed, and train services remained suspended across the island nation as Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rainfall. Flight operations were also disrupted, with several aircraft diverted to South Indian cities.
Authorities have issued a red-level flood alert for low-lying areas in the Kelani River valley for the next 48 hours.
As flood-like conditions worsened, Sri Lanka sent an SOS to the Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant, requesting assistance with rescue operations, local media reported.
Sri Lankan authorities also submitted a formal request to the Indian High Commission in Colombo.
Following the request, India agreed to deploy helicopters from the aircraft carrier, currently docked in Colombo, to support rescue and relief efforts.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for several districts in Tamil Nadu.
The IMD has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms in isolated areas of Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and nearby districts.