Death toll crosses 450 mark in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka
Colombo (PTI): The death toll in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka rose to 465 on Tuesday, with the island nation bracing for worsening conditions as increased rainfall is forecast in several regions in the coming days.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country’s disaster-response capacity.
A report by the Disaster Management Centre on Tuesday at 6 pm showed that 465 people have been killed, with 366 missing, in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.
Meanwhile, a special weather bulletin issued by the Department of Meteorology predicted "enhanced" rainy conditions in certain parts of the nation from Thursday.
"The Northeast monsoon condition is expected to gradually establish over the island during the next few days. Due to this, rainy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to be enhanced from 04th of December," it said.
The department requested the general public's attention to future forecasts and bulletins.
Relief and recovery operations are ongoing in Sri Lanka, with several countries sending humanitarian aid and relief material.
India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on November 28 to help Sri Lanka recover from the devastation caused by the cyclone.
The operation was launched to provide urgent search, rescue and HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) support to “our closest maritime neighbour”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.
India has delivered 53 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka via air and sea since November 28, the MEA had said.
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Four passengers arrested at BLR airport with hydroponic ganja worth over Rs 21.5 crore
Bengaluru (PTI): Four passengers who arrived from Bangkok at Kempegowda International Airport here were arrested with hydroponic ganja valued at over Rs 21.5 crore in two separate cases, officials said on Saturday.
They were intercepted at Terminal 2 of the airport on May 1, they added.
In the first case, Bengaluru Customs said in a post on ‘X’ that three passengers arriving from Bangkok were intercepted, and 52.68 kg of hydroponic ganja, valued at Rs 18.43 crore, was seized from their baggage.
In a separate case on the same day, another passenger arriving from Bangkok was intercepted, and 9 kg of hydroponic ganja, valued at Rs 3.15 crore, was seized from his baggage.
In both cases, the accused, whose identities have not been disclosed, were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, officials added.
