The UAE Relief Team has departed Sri Lanka after completing its humanitarian mission, carried out in response to the severe impact of Cyclone Ditwah and the landslides that struck the country.
It was launched under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to provide support to Sri Lanka impacted by the disaster.
The UAE relief teams delivered a total of 116 tonnes of urgent humanitarian assistance, including food supplies and shelter materials such as tents and relief kits, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of affected families.
The UAE Search and Rescue Team carried out specialised field operations, during which 20 bodies of missing persons were recovered, in addition to providing first aid to eight people with minor injuries, in coordination with the relevant local authorities.
Striking in late-November, Ditwah is the country's deadliest natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami, killing 635 people and affecting about 10 per cent of the population. It wrecked critical infrastructure and key crops such as rice and tea.
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