In response to widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to airlift over 800 Indian citizens from Sri Lanka to safety today.

Two aircraft- an IL-76 and a C-130- are set to depart from Colombo for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, in multiple sorties depending on the weather. From there, evacuees will board onward flights to their final destinations. The operation marks a significant effort by India to assist its nationals stranded by the cyclone’s havoc.

Cyclone Ditwah, the fourth cyclonic storm of 2025, formed late on November 26, 2025, from a low-pressure system over the southwest Bay of Bengal just off the Sri Lankan coast.

The storm intensified rapidly- becoming a depression then a full cyclonic storm by November 27, 2025, and brought catastrophic rain, floods and mudslides across large parts of Sri Lanka.

The impact has been devastating. At least 150 people have lost their lives and nearly 200 remain missing. Hundreds of thousands have been affected and tens of thousands displaced into relief shelters.

Several districts have been inundated, with landslides damaging homes and key infrastructure; roads, power lines and even hydropower plants have been affected.

After wreaking havoc on the island nation, Ditwah is now heading north-northwest over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to approach the coasts of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh by November 30, 2025, Sunday.

Authorities in southern India have issued high-alert advisories for heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding.

The evacuation of Indian nationals by IAF highlights the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka. As the cyclone tracks onward, both aid and vigilance remain vital in the face of ongoing destruction.

ALSO READ | The Bharalu Ballet: Guwahati’s Annual Flood Opera