An Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying emergency relief supplies for those displaced by severe flooding reached Sri Lanka early Saturday morning. The C-130 aircraft, loaded with essential food and hygiene items, landed at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport around 1:30 am and was welcomed by officials from the Indian High Commission and the Sri Lanka Air Force. India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on Friday to support Sri Lanka during this crisis. The first batch of aid had earlier been transported to the island by the Indian Navy via the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri.

The aid comes as Sri Lankan authorities warned of a catastrophic situation in the Western Province from Friday night, caused by rising water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers. The island is grappling with one of its worst disasters as Cyclone Ditwah triggered widespread floods and landslides, damaging infrastructure and displacing thousands.

According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), 69 people had died by 6 am Saturday, with at least 34 still missing. Over 200,000 individuals from 61,000 families have been impacted. However, relief officials in Kandy reported that the death toll could be significantly higher, as the district alone recorded more than 50 fatalities by Friday night, pending official verification. Badulla district in the central hills has also suffered heavily from landslides, with more than 35 confirmed dead and many others missing. Cyclone Ditwah has caused overflows in major reservoirs and rivers, prompting authorities to issue evacuation warnings.

The meteorological department forecasts additional heavy rainfall exceeding 200 mm, although the cyclone is expected to leave the island by late Saturday. Nearly 35% of Sri Lanka is without electricity since Friday, affecting approximately 7 million customers of the Ceylon Electricity Board. Restoration efforts are being hindered by continued heavy rains and flooding.