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Colombo, Sri Lanka – The final hours of November have revealed the catastrophic extent of Cyclone Ditwah, a storm that has left Sri Lanka grappling with its deadliest natural disaster in years. As the official death toll climbs past 330, with nearly 400 people still unaccounted for, the focus has shifted from immediate rescue to a grim reality: the cyclone has not just taken lives but has brutally severed the nation’s critical lifelines, creating a compounding humanitarian and public health crisis.
While the storm’s core has moved on, the aftermath is a deluge of challenges. Over one million people across all 25 districts have been affected, with the twin scourges of flooding and landslides isolating entire communities. The central hill districts, including Kandy and Badulla, have seen the highest casualties, their saturated slopes giving way to catastrophic mudslides that have buried homes and left search efforts perilously difficult.
The Collateral Damage: A Crisis of Supplies
The widespread destruction of infrastructure has turned relief operations into a logistical nightmare. Reports indicate that over 200 roads are impassable, key bridges have been swept away, and communication networks remain crippled in the northern districts.
The most alarming consequence is the immediate medical crisis. Hospitals in several districts are flooded, and the national blood bank has reported that blood supplies have plummeted to critically low levels. Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe, a blood bank chief, noted the stark reality: “We need 1,500 units daily, and on Saturday, we collected only 236. The floods have prevented us from running our essential mobile donation campaigns.”
Access to clean water is a pervasive concern, raising the specter of a public health emergency with high risks of water-borne diseases compounding the nation’s already strained health system.
A ‘Neighbourhood First’ Lifeline: India’s Rapid Response
As Sri Lanka appeals for global assistance, a swift and comprehensive response has come from its maritime neighbour, India. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India’s armed forces have not only provided emergency evacuation for stranded Indian nationals but have also been the first to deliver critical relief supplies.
The Indian Air Force has airlifted multiple consignments, including over 20 tonnes of relief material, search and rescue equipment, and specialist medical teams with BHISHM cubes (mobile medical facilities) to Colombo. The Indian Navy has also deployed warships like INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri to deliver further humanitarian aid. This rapid deployment underscores a commitment to the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, offering a crucial boost to Sri Lankan forces overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a State of Emergency, calling on all citizens and the diaspora to unite for the long road to recovery. As rescue teams continue their desperate search for the missing in the flood-ravaged zones, the question is not just how to rebuild the physical infrastructure, but how to heal the deep, exposed wounds in the nation’s fragile social and public services.
