Cyclone Ditwah
Cyclone Ditwah batters Sri Lanka: 56 dead, dozens missing amid landslides, severe flooding
Colombo/IBNS: At least 56 people have died in Sri Lanka as of Friday morning following days of relentless rainfall and powerful winds, even as Cyclone Ditwah continues its trajectory toward the north and northwest, edging closer to the Tamil Nadu coast.
The island nation has been battered by unusually intense downpours over the past few days, with multiple districts recording rainfall levels not seen in years.
Responding to a formal request from Colombo, India has agreed to deploy helicopters from INS Vikrant, currently docked in the Sri Lankan capital, to assist with rescue operations and relief efforts as widespread flooding worsens.
The Department of Meteorology and the Disaster Management Centre reported that 20 of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts have been severely affected.
More than 12,000 families — roughly 43,000 individuals — are directly impacted, prompting authorities to issue a nationwide “red alert.”
The eastern districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, along with the Central Province areas of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Matale, and Badulla in Uva Province, appear to be among the hardest hit.
Many of these regions, including hill-country towns home to Malaiyaha Tamil tea and rubber estate workers, remain submerged, with major roads cut off and several communities isolated.
Disturbing accounts of vehicles being swept into swollen waterways, families stranded overnight, and residents seeking refuge on rooftops amid rapidly rising floodwaters have flooded social media as emergency teams race to respond.
With rivers spilling over and reservoirs reaching critical levels, authorities have also issued flood advisories for several southern districts.
Schools, offices shut as emergency unfolds
Schools have been instructed to remain closed, while the government announced a holiday for public-sector offices on Friday, except for essential services.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened an all-party emergency meeting on Thursday and urged lawmakers across political lines to visit their constituencies, assist with relief distribution and prioritise public safety.
The President’s Fund will provide LKR 1 million (about ₹2.9 lakh) in compensation to the families of those who died in the disaster.
He also directed tourism authorities to ensure that essential services remain accessible to international visitors affected by the severe weather.
Meanwhile, aviation officials confirmed disruptions to flight schedules as conditions continue to deteriorate.
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