Bhubaneswar, Nov. 29 -- The death toll from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has climbed to 69, with at least 34 people still missing as the island nation continues to battle severe weather conditions.

According to Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre, more than 2.19 lakh people from over 63,000 families have been affected since heavy rains began on November 16. Several houses have been destroyed, while hundreds have suffered partial damage.

Amid the crisis, India has launched humanitarian assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu. Indian naval ships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri have delivered relief materials to Sri Lankan authorities in Colombo. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed the operation, saying further assistance is un...