India has sent additional Bailey Bridge systems, engineering teams and medical support to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, where devastating floods and landslides have left over 18 lakh people affected and severed key infrastructure links.
The death toll has risen to 486, with 341 missing, while more than 1,347 relief centres are operating as Sri Lanka struggles with widespread isolation and mounting humanitarian needs.
Sri Lanka estimates economic losses of USD 6–7 billion; India’s assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu includes both on-ground relief and digital disaster-management cooperation.
India dispatched additional movable modular bridge systems to Sri Lanka, expanding its ongoing humanitarian support to help reconnect cut-off regions devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone has triggered widespread flooding, landslides and a collapse of key infrastructure, leaving several districts isolated and overwhelming the island nation’s disaster-response capacity.
Sri Lankan authorities reported 486 deaths and 341 people missing as of Thursday evening, with extreme weather since November 16 continuing to unleash catastrophic damage. According to the Disaster Management Centre, more than 18.44 lakh people from over 5.19 lakh families remain marooned, while 1,347 relief centres are sheltering more than 188,000 people.
India Steps Up Assistance
A C-17 Globemaster of the Indian Air Force delivered additional Bailey Bridge systems to Colombo on Thursday, a day after a similar consignment and 500 water-purification units were flown in at Sri Lanka’s request.
“These modular structures can be rapidly assembled, within hours, to restore connectivity along vital road links,” the Indian High Commission in Colombo said, noting that the installations are crucial for ensuring emergency access to landslide- and flood-hit areas. The latest flight also transported 25 personnel, including engineering experts to assemble the bridges and a medical team for the field hospital deployed earlier.
Engineers who arrived on Wednesday have already begun reconnaissance and installation. “They are now working to restore vital road connectivity along key routes damaged in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah,” the mission added.
Disaster-response collaboration between the two countries is also continuing digitally. In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Andhra Pradesh’s Real Time Governance Secretary Bhaskar Katamneni shared a “digital toolkit” on disaster preparedness with Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the Sri Lankan President on Digital Economy, and the GovTech team.
India’s support forms part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, involving coordinated air, sea and ground efforts. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake publicly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for India’s “steadfast support.”
Communications, Casualties and Economic Impact
Telecom authorities said mobile coverage has recovered to about 75%, noting that while none of the nation’s 9,332 communication towers were damaged, more than 16,900 distribution points remain offline due to shortages of electricity and fuel for generators.
The toll among relief workers has also risen, with eight accidental deaths reported. A 41-year-old electricity board employee died during restoration work, while a Sri Lankan Air Force pilot, five Navy personnel and a Road Development Authority worker lost their lives in various rescue operations.
Preliminary estimates place the economic loss from the cyclone between USD 6–7 billion, roughly 3–5% of Sri Lanka’s GDP, underscoring the scale of the crisis as the country continues to battle its worst natural disaster in years.
