CHENNAI: More than 300 people, including many from Tamil Nadu, have been stranded in Sri Lanka after heavy rains forced the suspension of flight services on Saturday.
According to a Thanthi TV report, acting on the instructions of the Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu’s Public Department Secretary has held discussions with the Indian High Commission in Colombo to facilitate the safe return of those affected.
Torrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have killed 123 people across Sri Lanka so far, with another 130 reported missing, the Disaster Management Centre said on Saturday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone Ditwah, over coastal Sri Lanka and the adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, was moving north-northwestwards at a speed of 8 kmph over the past six hours, centred at 05:30 am today over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining northern Sri Lanka. The system was 400 km away from Chennai, as per the bulletin.