Cyclone Ditwah: IAF evacuates stranded Indians from Sri Lanka, marooned people brought to Thiruvananthapuram
The Indian Air Force carried out rescue and relief operations in Sri Lanka, which has been witnessing extreme natural disasters, following Cyclone Ditwah. A landslide was also reported from the country's Kotmale region. Two IAF aircrafts were pressed into service to being back Indians stranded in the country, following the natural calamity. The air force also used 2 helicopters to evacuate people and Sri Lankan Army personnel from the landslide-hit region.
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) brought back home nearly 200 Indians who were stranded in Sri Lanka due to cyclone Ditwah. They were brought to the country in a special air force aircraft, which landed in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday evening.
IAF carries out rescue operations in landslide-hit Kotmale
According to an IAF spokesperson, one aircraft landed in Thiruvananthapuram at 7:30 pm while another landed at 11 pm on Sunday night. The 2 aircraft put into service to evacuate Indians from the neighbouring country were IL-76 and C-130J heavy lift carriers of the air force.
On Monday morning at 6:30 am, the last batch of 104 Indians were brought back from Sri Lanka, confirmed the Indian High Commission in Colombo. They landed in Thiruvananthapuram onboard an IAF aircraft. The rescue operations in Kochikadeb and other parts of Sri Lanka were carried out by a joint team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and India's specialised Disaster Response Agency for Search and Rescue and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) activities, informed the High Commission.
Not only did these 2 aircraft evacuate stranded Indians from the island nation, but they also delivered relief material to marooned Sri Lankans, impacted by cyclone Ditwah. An IAF spokesperson informed that they were carrying out critical humanitarian and disaster relief operations in the country, under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
Not only have the IAF aircraft delivered aid to the people in Sri Lanka, but also airlifted 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel from Diyathalawa Army Camp and Colombo to Kotmale, reported NDTV. These evacuations were carried out using helicopters in a landslide affected area of the country.
According to a press release, a total of 55 people, which included both Indians and foreign nationals, were brought back to Colombo. The 2 Indian helicopters made around 12 sorties, to and from the disaster affected region, they added.
The Sri Lankan government meanwhile has confirmed the death of a pilot from the country, who was involved in rescue and relief work. The death happened as a Bell 212 helicopter crashed while trying to deliver relief supplies in Wennappuwa on the north-western coast. Apart from this the country also lost 5 of its sailors, who had initially been reported missing during rescue operations in Chundikulam in the northern province. Later, their bodies were recovered, said a spokesperson quoted by PTI.