Sri Lanka has called for urgent international assistance after the death toll from devastating floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 132, with at least 176 people still missing. Authorities say nearly 44,000 residents have been displaced and are now seeking refuge in government-run temporary shelters.
According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the cyclone destroyed almost 15,000 homes across the island, leaving large parts of the country inundated. Although the storm has begun moving north toward India, fresh landslides hit the Kandy district on Saturday, submerging several sections of the main highway.
DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief operations had been intensified with thousands of military personnel—army, navy and air force—deployed to affected areas. “Relief operations with the help of the armed forces are under way,” he told reporters in Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Red Cross warned that many residents remain stranded as rescue efforts continue. “Relief needs have been increasing. After two days, water has still been swelling,” the organisation’s Secretary-General Mahesh Gunasekara said, cautioning that the danger is not yet over.
Authorities have ordered evacuations along the banks of the Kelani River after it burst its banks on Friday evening, forcing hundreds into shelters. Officials say flood levels may surpass those recorded in 2016, when 71 people died.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with foreign diplomats in Colombo to request international support. India became the first to respond, dispatching two aircraft carrying relief materials, while an Indian naval ship in Colombo donated its food supplies.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and pledged further assistance, saying on X: “We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves.”
While rains have eased in much of the country, Sri Lanka’s northern regions still face showers due to the cyclone’s tail effects. This week’s disaster marks the country’s deadliest weather-related event since last year’s June floods, which killed 26 people.
