The government of Sri Lanka has formally appealed for international assistance after Cyclone Ditwah caused severe flooding and landslides, resulting in at least 123 deaths. The country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) on Saturday also reported that 130 people remain missing following the extreme weather event.
According to figures released by the DMC, nearly 44,000 people have been displaced and are taking refuge in government-operated temporary shelters. The agency also confirmed that the storm has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes across the island nation.
While Cyclone Ditwah was moving north toward India as of Saturday, residual effects continued to impact Sri Lanka. Authorities reported new landslides in the central district of Kandy, located 115 kilometers east of the capital. Flooding has submerged sections of the main access road to the area.
In Colombo, officials issued evacuation orders for residents living along the banks of the Kelani River after it overflowed on Friday evening, forcing hundreds into shelters, the DMC stated.
Relief efforts have been organized with the deployment of military personnel. “Relief operations with the help of the armed forces are under way,” DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said during a press briefing in Colombo.
Humanitarian organizations are responding to the growing needs of those affected. Mahesh Gunasekara, the secretary-general of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, said rescue crews are attempting to reach individuals stranded by the floodwaters.
“Relief needs have been increasing. After two days, water has still been swelling,” Gunasekara said. “Although the cyclone is slowly moving away from the country, it is not over for us yet.”
To coordinate international support, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with diplomats based in Colombo to provide an update on the situation and formally request aid.
India was the first country to respond, dispatching two aircraft carrying relief supplies. An Indian naval ship, in Colombo on a previously scheduled visit, also donated its rations to assist victims. In a statement on the social media platform X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and affirmed his country’s readiness to provide additional assistance.
DMC officials noted that they expect flood levels to exceed those recorded in 2016, when a similar event resulted in 71 deaths. The current toll is the highest from a weather-related event in Sri Lanka since 26 people were killed by heavy rains in June of the previous year.
