Colombo (TDI): Sri Lanka has called for international assistance after Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rains and flooding, claiming 123 lives and leaving another 130 people missing, authorities said on Saturday.
The cyclone has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes and displaced almost 44,000 people, who are now staying in government-run temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported.
DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief efforts had been bolstered by thousands of personnel from the army, navy, and air force. “Relief operations with the help of the armed forces are underway,” he told reporters, noting that the cyclone is now moving north towards India.
Landslides hit the central district of Kandy, 115 kilometres east of Colombo, submerging main access roads at several points. Communications were also disrupted, with fibre optic cables damaged and mobile networks down in some areas. Special units have been deployed to restore connectivity, especially in remote, mountainous tea-growing regions affected by mudslides.
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The Sri Lankan government has appealed for international aid and encouraged citizens abroad to provide cash donations to support nearly half a million affected people. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with diplomats in Colombo to brief them on the situation and seek assistance from their governments.
India was the first to respond, sending two planeloads of relief supplies. An Indian warship visiting Colombo for a goodwill mission also donated its rations to aid the victims. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and said New Delhi was prepared to provide additional support as needed.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also pledged assistance, stating that Islamabad is ready to extend “any support in rescue, recovery, and relief efforts as a symbol of our solidarity with our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters.”
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Flooding worsened in low-lying areas, particularly along the Kelani River, which burst its banks on Friday evening. Hundreds of residents were forced into temporary shelters as authorities issued evacuation orders. While rainfall has eased in most parts of the country, showers continue in northern regions due to lingering effects of Cyclone Ditwah.
Officials warned that flood levels could surpass those recorded in 2016, when 71 people lost their lives. This week’s disaster marks the deadliest weather-related event in Sri Lanka since June last year. The worst flooding in the country since the turn of the century occurred in June 2003, claiming 254 lives.
