Cyclone Ditwah ravages Sri Lanka : 123 dead, 300 Indian passengers stranded in Colombo as storm barrels toward India

Colombo (The Uttam Hindu): After causing massive devastation in Sri Lanka, cyclone 'Ditwaha' has now turned towards India. This natural disaster has claimed the lives of at least 123 people in Sri Lanka, while relief and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing there. In view of the dangerous impact of the storm, aviation services have been badly affected and many flights have been cancelled. Passengers are bearing the direct brunt of this. Due to bad weather and cancellation of flights, around 300 Indian passengers are stranded at Colombo airport for the last three days and are waiting to return to their homeland.

Of the 300 passengers stranded at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport, approximately 150 are from Tamil Nadu. All of them were traveling to India from Dubai via Sri Lanka, but were stranded there after flights were canceled due to the storm. The passengers have leveled serious allegations against the airport administration. They say they have been in difficult conditions for the past three days and are unable to access even basic amenities like food and water due to the disruption in operations.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has immediately intervened. He has directed the Secretary of the Public Department to coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Colombo to ensure the safe return of stranded Tamil citizens. Officials have contacted the Indian High Commission to request assistance for the passengers. The Indian government has also increased humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka during this difficult time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences over the deaths caused by the cyclone in Sri Lanka and confirmed the dispatch of emergency aid.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning that after wreaking havoc in Sri Lanka, the storm is rapidly moving towards the coasts of northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh in India. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in these areas. The storm is expected to reach the coastal areas by Sunday morning. During this period, strong winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and torrential rain are expected, due to which the administration in the coastal areas has been put on alert mode.