Ditwah Cyclone triggers Sri Lanka’s worst floods-and-landslides emergency in decades

On 28 November 2025, Cyclonic Storm 'Ditwah' made landfall on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, supercharging already intense monsoon rains and triggering the country’s most severe flooding and landslide disaster in decades. The crisis spread nationwide, affecting all 25 districts, displacing hundreds of thousands, destroying homes and infrastructure, and leaving hundreds dead. Human and Social Impact • Casualties: Official reports confirmed at least 647 deaths and 183 people missing as of mid-December 2025. The central highlands (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Badulla) suffered the highest fatalities due to landslides and flash floods. • Affected Population: Over 2.2 million people (approximately 10% of the population) were affected. At the peak of the crisis, more than 230,000 people were displaced into over 1,500 government-run safety centers. • Education: Over 1,300 schools and six universities were damaged, and hundreds of schools were used as temporary shelters, disrupting education for more than 500,000 children. Economic and Structural Damage: • Economic Loss: The World Bank estimated direct physical damage at US$4.1 billion, roughly 4% of Sri Lanka’s GDP. • Housing: More than 107,000 houses were reported damaged or destroyed. • Agriculture: Floods devastated approximately 106,000 hectares of paddy land (20% of the main 2026 Maha season crop), threatening food security and affecting 227,000 farmers. Livestock losses included roughly 475,000 birds and 50,000 other animals. • Infrastructure: Critical failures occurred in power and water supply systems, with over 200 roads and 10 bridges rendered impassable at the height of the disaster. Response and Relief: • State of Emergency: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a nationwide State of Emergency on November 29 to expedite disaster relief. International Aid: • The UN launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan seeking $35.3 million to aid 658,000 of the most vulnerable individuals. • India launched "Operation Sagar Bandhu," providing medical teams and emergency supplies. • Starlink provided free satellite internet to affected areas to support the restoration of connectivity. • The IMF provided $206 million in funds to help the government meet the immediate challenges of the disaster. Environmental and Health Risks: • Landslides: High risk persisted throughout December due to the ongoing Northeast Monsoon and saturated soil. • Wildlife: Mass deaths of wildlife were reported in protected areas, and approximately 860 km of electric fencing was destroyed, increasing risks of human-elephant conflict. • Public Health: Flooding of district hospitals and damage to sanitation systems increased the risk of water-related illnesses.