Colombo, Dec 5 (NationPress) As part of its ongoing humanitarian mission, Operation Sagar Bandhu, an Indian medical team is actively establishing a field hospital in Mahiyanganaya, located near Kandy in Sri Lanka. This initiative aims to provide essential medical care to residents affected by the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah.

The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka announced on X, "Operation Sagar Bandhu is dedicated to healing those in need. A fully functional field hospital is being set up by our medical team in Mahiyanganaya, offering trauma care, surgical services, ambulances, and other critical support directly to a community in distress. Our goal is to ensure that those impacted receive urgent, life-saving medical attention."

India continues to extend its robust humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu. This includes extensive search, rescue, medical, and logistical operations across various regions affected by the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.

On Thursday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully airlifted stranded individuals from Kotmale to Katunayake for additional medical treatment. A video shared by the Indian High Commission illustrates IAF personnel assisting individuals as they disembark from helicopters.

"IAF helicopters effectively transported those stranded from Kotmale to Katunayake for further medical care and support," the Indian High Commission reported on X.

Additionally, on December 4, a C-17 Globemaster aircraft from the IAF delivered Bailey Bridge units to Sri Lanka to help restore critical road connectivity.

In another post on X, the Indian High Commission stated, "Another C-17 Globemaster from the IAF has arrived in Sri Lanka, carrying Bailey Bridge units. These modular structures can be assembled within hours to restore vital road links in Sri Lanka. A 25-member expert team, including engineers for bridge installation and medical staff for the field hospital, has also arrived, reinforcing India’s unwavering commitment to support Sri Lanka in its time of crisis."

Rescue and evacuation efforts are ongoing in Sri Lanka, which has faced severe weather, flash floods, and landslides due to Cyclone Ditwah and its aftermath. Reports indicate that 481 individuals have gone missing, while 345 others remain unaccounted for as of 6 PM local time, according to Daily Mirror citing the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

According to DMC, a total of 506,680 individuals from 1,814,534 families have faced the consequences of this disaster in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, 1,967 homes have been completely destroyed, while 50,173 homes have experienced partial damage due to the adverse weather conditions.