Cyclone Ditwah heads to South India after devastating Sri Lanka

Cyclone Ditwah exited Sri Lanka on Saturday after tearing through multiple provinces, leaving behind widespread destruction, severe flooding, and a steadily rising human toll. At least 123 people have been confirmed dead and 130 remain missing, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), though officials warn the final figures could be significantly higher as communication lines in several districts remain down.

Athula Karunanayake, Director General of the Department of Meteorology, said the cyclone had moved away from the island and was now heading toward the southern coast of India. “Its indirect impact with heavy rains, landslides, and high-speed winds will persist for some time,” he cautioned.

Some of the worst-hit areas are in the Central Province, where landslides and flash floods swept through hilly terrain. In Badulla district, 49 deaths and 41 missing persons have been verified so far, Chief District Administrator Prabath Abeywardena said. In neighbouring Nuwara Eliya, more than 50 fatalities have been reported, but officials say many villages remain unreachable due to collapsed roads and cut communication networks.

The Sri Lankan Army and Navy continue large-scale rescue operations. One of the most dramatic efforts unfolded in the Northwestern Province’s Kalaoya area, where 68 passengers trapped on a bus were saved after spending 29 hours on the roof. The bus had been swept off the bridge by sudden floodwaves, leaving rescue teams battling strong currents and darkness through the night.

India has extended substantial assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu, dispatching C-130 and IL-76 aircraft carrying paramilitary personnel, medical teams, and relief supplies. This support builds on long-standing bilateral cooperation in disaster management, including India’s sharing of satellite-based cyclone tracking, early warning data, and modelling expertise with Sri Lankan authorities. Coordination between both nations has intensified through joint situational assessments and logistic planning as rescue operations continue.

With the cyclone now moving away from Sri Lanka, meteorological models project its effects to be felt in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, which may experience heavy rainfall, rough seas, and strong winds over the next 48 hours. Inland states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are not in the direct path, though some southern districts may receive moderate rainfall from Ditwah’s outer bands.

Sri Lanka’s DMC has urged citizens to remain alert, noting that secondary hazards such as landslides, swollen rivers, and falling trees continue to pose serious risks even after the cyclone’s departure. Rescue and relief teams remain deployed across affected districts as the full extent of the damage slowly emerges.