India sends additional assistance to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

India has sent additional movable modular bridge systems to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka on Thursday as part of its ongoing humanitarian support to reconnect isolated communities and restore essential services in the island nation. Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity. At least 486 people have been killed and 341 are missing as of Thursday evening, due to catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.

A C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force flew in additional Bailey Bridge systems on Thursday, a day after the same was delivered on Wednesday, along with 500 water purification units, following a request from Colombo. The flight on Thursday also carried 25 personnel, including expert engineers to install the bridge and a medical team to assist the field hospital deployed earlier, the mission said. Meanwhile, the engineers who arrived on Wednesday have already started installing the Bailey bridge in the areas needed. NDRF teams are supporting recovery efforts in Gampaha, working on urgent drinking water requirements with well cleaning and water purification to help families regain access to safe water and restore normalcy.

#OperationSagarBandhu for @NDRFHQ teams are supporting recovery efforts in Gampaha, working on urgent drinking water requirements with well cleaning and water purification to help families regain access to safe water and restore normalcy.@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy pic.twitter.com/SDjAKu37yg

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) December 4, 2025

India has been extending humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with extensive air, sea and ground operations delivering urgent relief to those affected. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in a social media post on Wednesday expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s steadfast support to the island nation. Sri Lankan officials said the scale of the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen.