A special rescue team from Pakistan has arrived in Colombo aboard a C-130 aircraft to support Sri Lanka’s ongoing flood-response operations following Cyclone Ditwah, which has left at least 465 people dead and hundreds still missing. The team was dispatched on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Major General Faheem Ul Aziz (retd), along with Sri Lanka’s deputy minister for ports, received the team at the airport. The ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support, saying Islamabad stands firmly with Sri Lanka in this time of hardship. He added that another 200 tonnes of relief goods will arrive by sea in the coming days.
Cyclone Ditwah has caused widespread destruction across Sri Lanka. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance. Many areas remain cut off due to damaged roads, power outages, and communication breakdowns. Rescuers fear the death toll will rise as access improves.
The Pakistan Navy and aviation units are already assisting Sri Lanka with aerial surveillance, medical evacuations, and rescue missions. Earlier, Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) remains committed to supporting disaster-hit communities both at home and abroad. The NDMA has also sent 200 tonnes of relief goods via ship, carrying tents, blankets, food items, medicines and rescue equipment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to express condolences and solidarity. In a message posted on X, he praised the courage and dedication of Sri Lankan authorities and rescue workers and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to helping its neighbour. He said Pakistan has always stood with Sri Lanka, especially in difficult times.
Cyclone Ditwah is now considered the deadliest disaster to hit Sri Lanka since the 2004 tsunami. More than 1.5 million people have been affected by landslides and floods across the country. The same weather system brought destructive rainfall to Indonesia’s Sumatra, southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia, contributing to over 1,300 deaths across four countries.
Experts say climate change is intensifying storms and rainfall, as warmer air and oceans increase the strength and frequency of such extreme weather events.
