Sri Lanka Issues Fresh Landslide Warnings as Death Toll Climbs to 607; Over 2 Million Affected by Cyclone Ditwah

Sri Lanka Issues Fresh Landslide Warnings as Death Toll Climbs to 607; Over 2 Million Affected by Cyclone Ditwah

PARIS TELEGRAPH – 06 Dec 2025

Sri Lanka is facing its deadliest natural disaster in decades after Cyclone Ditwah unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides across the island, killing at least 607 people and affecting more than 2 million residents, according to updated figures from the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). Fresh warnings have been issued for multiple districts as relentless monsoon rains continue to destabilise already saturated hillsides.

Authorities say 214 people remain missing, many feared buried under mud or swept away by floodwaters, while tens of thousands remain without homes or essential services.

New Landslide Alerts as Monsoon Rains Intensify

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued new high-risk landslide warnings across central and hill-country districts, including Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Badulla.

In several regions, rainfall exceeded 150 mm in just 24 hours, creating extremely dangerous slope conditions. Officials have urged residents living near mountain ridges, unstable slopes or riverbanks to evacuate immediately.

“Ground saturation is at critical levels. Even moderate rain can trigger deadly landslides,” NBRO specialists warned.

More Than 2 Million People Affected — A Country in Crisis

The humanitarian toll continues to deepen:

• 2,000,000+ people affected nationwide
• 150,000 displaced in over 1,200 safe centres
• 4,164 homes destroyed
• 67,000+ homes damaged
• Key roads, bridges, farms and power lines destroyed
• Remote villages still inaccessible due to mud and debris

Entire plantations, paddy fields and infrastructure networks have collapsed, leaving families without livelihoods and communities cut off from rescue operations.

In Gampola and Udapussellawa, residents described scenes of “total destruction,” with some neighbourhoods buried under metres of mud. Volunteers say it can take “ten men a full day to clean one house.”

World Food Programme Steps In: ‘People Have Lost Everything’

The World Food Programme (WFP) has expanded its emergency response, warning of rising hunger as crops are washed away and food prices surge across the country.

WFP’s Sri Lanka Country Director said the organisation is working alongside the government to deliver emergency meals, clean water and relief supplies to displaced families.

“People have lost their homes, their farms, and their income sources. Many are cut off and cannot access markets. Immediate and sustained support is essential,” WFP noted.

Government Announces Compensation; Seeks International Assistance

Amid rising public pressure, Sri Lanka’s government has announced a compensation package:

• 10 million LKR (approx. USD 33,000) for families needing to rebuild homes on safer land
• 1 million LKR compensation for each death or permanent disability
• New relocation zones identified in landslide-free areas

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called Cyclone Ditwah “a national tragedy of unprecedented scale,” appealing for global support to stabilise the country’s humanitarian and economic situation.

Sri Lanka is also negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for emergency financial provisions, citing billions in reconstruction costs.

Fears of a Secondary Disaster

Meteorologists warn that heavy monsoon rains are likely to continue for days, creating conditions for new landslides, flash-floods, and disease outbreaks in temporary shelters.

Health officials fear spikes in waterborne illnesses, while aid workers caution that many families may remain displaced for months — especially those in mountainous districts where entire settlements have been deemed uninhabitable.

A Nation in Mourning — and Waiting for the World’s Help

As Sri Lanka struggles to recover, global humanitarian groups stress that international support will be critical to preventing deeper food insecurity, long-term displacement, and economic hardship.

For millions who have lost homes, crops, loved ones and livelihoods, the road to recovery will be long — and the rains are not yet over.

U.H. Hyder Ali