<ul><li>Rescue missions continue as death toll climbs to 618; 209 missing&nbsp;</li><li>2 million people affected nationwide&nbsp;</li><li>Rs. 72.2 b relief announced&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> The hope of finding more survivors is fading as Sri Lanka enters the second week after Cyclone Ditwah triggered widespread floods and landslides, leaving hundreds dead, hundreds more missing, and thousands displaced.&nbsp;Rescue and evacuation operations by the armed forces, supported by residents, continue, but authorities warn that the chances of finding additional survivors are diminishing.&nbsp;According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the death toll has reached 618, with 209 people still missing.&nbsp;Kandy was the hardest-hit district, reporting 232 fatalities, followed by Nuwara Eliya (89), Badulla (83), Kurunegala (61), and Puttalam (34).&nbsp;Other affected districts include Monaragala, Matale, Colombo, Batticaloa, Kegalle, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, Hambantota, Galle, Mannar, Gampaha, and Vavuniya.&nbsp;When contacted by The Sunday Morning, DMC Director – Awareness Pradeep Kodippili stated that no decision had yet been made on when the ongoing rescue operations would be concluded.&nbsp;More than a week has passed since Cyclone Ditwah struck, and with the hope of finding survivors steadily diminishing, authorities are carefully evaluating the situation.&nbsp;“The decision to end rescue missions rests with the district disaster committees and the DMC continues to coordinate closely with the armed forces. As of now, no formal request has been made to suspend operations, so the rescue efforts will continue until such a request is received,” Kodippili explained.&nbsp;The cyclone has caused extensive damage to housing, agriculture, and infrastructure. It has fully destroyed 4,309 houses and partially damaged 69,635, forcing 114,126 people from 33,622 families into 956 safe shelters, according to the DMC.&nbsp;In total, over two million people from 576,626 families have been affected nationwide.&nbsp;In a special statement made in Parliament on Friday (5), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced a Rs. 72.2 billion relief package to be distributed over the next 25 days.&nbsp;Key measures include cleaning grants of Rs. 25,000 per family, one-off household grants of Rs. 50,000 for essential kitchen equipment, and monthly payments for families who lost homes: Rs. 25,000 for up to six months and Rs. 50,000 per month from December to March for severely affected households.&nbsp;Compensation for partially damaged houses is provided under four bands totalling Rs. 2.5 million, while relatives of the deceased receive Rs. 1 million each.&nbsp;Grants are also allocated for paddy fields (Rs. 150,000 per hectare), vegetable fields (Rs. 200,000 per hectare), livestock farms (Rs. 200,000), registered fishing boats (Rs. 400,000), schoolchildren (Rs. 25,000 each), and business premises or landless families (up to Rs. 5 million).&nbsp;Newly appointed Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi estimated preliminary losses at $ 6–7 billion, more than three times the damage caused by the 2004 tsunami, which had been estimated at $ 1.5–2 billion.&nbsp;He told the media that a detailed post-disaster assessment would guide recovery plans and inform any potential adjustments to the 2026 Budget or engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).&nbsp;Also, as per the DMC statistical report, the river levels in major waterways, including the Kelani River, Kalu Ganga, Gin Ganga, Nilwala Ganga, Kirindi Oya, Menik Ganga, Kumbukkan Oya, Mahaweli River, Deduru Oya, and Attanagalu Oya, have returned to normal.&nbsp;However, the landslide warnings issued by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) remain in force in Badulla, Seethawaka, Padukka, Elpitiya, Yakkalamulla, Attanagalla, Mirigama, Divulapitiya, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura.&nbsp;Evacuation orders are still enforced in high-risk areas of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, and Matale.&nbsp;The Department of Meteorology has issued an amber warning, warning of thunderstorms with severe lightning and strong winds in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces, as well as the Galle and Matara Districts. Citizens have been urged to remain indoors, avoid open fields and water bodies, and exercise caution around fallen trees and power lines.

Cyclone Ditwah: Hopes of finding survivors fade 

<ul><li>Rs. 350 m received; total pledges Rs. 800 m</li><li>$ 3 m grant from ADB signed</li></ul> Despite receiving foreign aid following Cyclone Ditwah, the support has not had a notable impact on the rupee yet, according to the Treasury.Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury A.K. Seneviratne said: “Up to now, we have received approximately Rs. 350 million. The individual pledges received so far are relatively small, on the order of $ 1–2 million. The total pledged amount from foreign and domestic sources is approximately Rs. 800 million.”“Given the scale, I do not foresee a significant impact leading to rupee appreciation. In fact, next year’s reconstruction activities are expected to increase demand for imported materials and services, which would offset any appreciatory pressure from the aid inflows,” he added.External Resources Department Director General R.M.S.P.S. Bandara said: “In normal circumstances, an inflow of foreign exchange can lead to appreciation. This is a standard economic effect.”However he noted that the Treasury and Central Bank managed such inflows carefully to maintain macroeconomic stability.Bandara confirmed that Sri Lanka had signed a $ 3 million grant agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while most other assistance was being coordinated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.“It would have more precise figures on total bilateral aid received. My department coordinates grants and loans, so I do not have a complete picture of all receipts at this moment,” he said.Meanwhile, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena recalled that after the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami, a large inflow of foreign aid had caused a temporary oversupply of foreign exchange, leading to rupee appreciation.“For a period of about 3–6 months, the rupee may appreciate, but it will eventually return to its normal level,” he said.Dr. Wijewardena also stressed the importance of integrity in using incoming funds: “This is a national disaster and it is a positive sign that a country like Sri Lanka is receiving support from nations worldwide. The critical task now is to utilise these funds with the utmost integrity, ensuring they are used strictly for the purpose of national reconstruction. It must be ensured that there are no underhand dealings with this money.”As relief and recovery operations continue, Sri Lanka has received significant support from bilateral and multilateral partners.&nbsp;

Rupee shows little change: 

<ul><li>Rapid repairs underway</li></ul> The RDA added that restoration work was being carried out at maximum speed to quickly reestablish connectivity across affected regions and ensure the safe movement of people and goods.RDA Director General Wimal Kandambi said a total of 256 national roads had been damaged in the disaster.&nbsp;“Our first priority is to rapidly reestablish road connectivity. We want every damaged road to be at least passable for public travel within the next 30 days,” he said.&nbsp;He also confirmed that 40 bridges had been damaged to varying degrees and that temporary structures were enabling early access in several locations.&nbsp;“We have restored seven bridges using temporary solutions. Work is underway on 12 more, and once these are completed, access will be restored to 19 bridges in the coming days,” he said.&nbsp;Decisions on temporary restorations for the remaining bridges are to be finalised soon.Kandambi said the initial estimate for damage to RDA-managed infrastructure was about $ 650 million, with the Central Province experiencing the worst impact, followed by the Uva, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Northern, and Eastern Provinces.RDA Chairman T. Paskaran, speaking to The Sunday Morning yesterday (6), confirmed that about 250 kilometres of road and around 40 bridges had suffered damage. “A couple of bridges have been completely washed off, and about 12 to 13 bridges will need to be rebuilt from scratch,” he said.While Kandambi gave an initial cost estimate, Paskaran said a complete financial assessment would take time. “You cannot calculate such a figure in such a short time,” he said.Paskaran noted that the RDA had already restored connectivity to most areas. “Almost all cities are connected now. At the peak of the damage, more than 200 road locations were impassable. As of yesterday, that number had decreased to 45 specific locations, and we are actively clearing these,” he said.&nbsp;Full reconstruction, however, will take longer. “To restore a road to a perfect and fully load-bearing condition takes some time. Our immediate priority is to make them passable,” he explained.The distribution of damaged bridges spans several regions. “They are in many places, from Jaffna to Ampara. Except for the Southern Province, other regions have experienced significant damage,” Paskaran said.&nbsp;He added that Government support for the recovery efforts had been consistent. “We have had meetings with the heads of Government and our Minister and our teams are working tirelessly on the ground,” he said.Alongside the damage to the road network, the railway system has also suffered major disruption, according to the Rapid Needs Assessment report. Several key lines experienced track flooding, embankment failures, and earth slips, leading to the suspension of services and a reduction of daily train operations from 200 to 74.&nbsp;Four of the country’s nine main railway lines have been interrupted, and emergency clearance is underway. While some services and primary routes are gradually reopening, the report notes that full restoration of safe and reliable connectivity will require extensive short-term repairs and longer term reconstruction, especially in the most heavily damaged corridors.Attempts to contact Sri Lanka Railways General Manager Ravindra Pathmapriya for updated information were unsuccessful, as he did not answer telephone calls.Kandambi said the RDA was implementing a phased recovery plan to restore transport access as quickly as possible. The authority aims to reopen all damaged roads for public travel within one month, complete full road reconstruction within three months, finish permanent repairs to all damaged bridges within 15 months, and install slope protection in high-risk hilly areas within 18 months.“Our responsibility is not only to rebuild but to rebuild stronger,” Kandambi said. “We are moving with urgency so that affected communities regain normal access and so that the national road network is more resilient to future disasters.”&nbsp;

Transport: 256 roads and 40 bridges damaged

<ul><li>Chilaw, Wattegama, Mahiyangana hospitals damaged</li><li>Medical equipment destroyed, services disrupted</li></ul> The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) yesterday (6) recommended that the Ministry of Health ask donors to obtain prior approval before donating pharmaceutical supplies, in order to avoid wastage of donated items that are either not needed or already available within the country.NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama told The Sunday Morning that supplies from Bangladesh and Myanmar had been received by the authority and that they were in the process of being assessed for necessity before approval and distribution.&nbsp;As Sri Lanka grapples with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, communities across the nation face a shortage of over 100 essential medicines, along with the destruction of medical equipment and hospitals following the disaster, as learnt by The Sunday Morning.It is also learnt that hospitals such as Wattegama in Kandy, Mahiyangana, and Chilaw have reportedly been damaged due to cyclone-induced disasters, with continuous communication and access to such areas still not possible.Another 100 small hospitals across the country have also been submerged by floods, it is reliably learnt.When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary and Media Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe noted that although medicine shortages in hospitals nationwide were still prevalent, it was difficult to give a proper estimate since the medicine stocks of most affected hospitals had been destroyed by flooding.As of Friday (5), it was reported that medical equipment – such as CT scan and echocardiogram machines, incubators, and more at the Chilaw Hospital – had been damaged, thus hindering medical services.“At the moment, the entirety of the health sector is focused mainly on managing the disaster situation and addressing lifesaving and health-related complications of displaced communities,” Dr. Wijesinghe said.According to him, chronic illnesses and communicable diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis (rat fever), as well as skin conditions are being exacerbated by the disaster, adding to the shortage of medicines and equipment, which had already been a challenge prior to the current crisis.&nbsp;

Donations: NMRA urges prior approval for donated supplies

<ul><li>137,000 hectares of paddy damaged, 22% of cultivated area</li></ul>Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector has suffered significant losses following Cyclone Ditwah, with preliminary estimates suggesting that over 200,000 hectares of farmland have been damaged.The Ministry of Agriculture has said that the total extent of crop losses will be calculated and officially released in approximately two weeks.According to Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. W.A.R. Thushara Wickramaarachchi, about 137,000 hectares of paddy fields out of a total of 611,000 hectares cultivated – representing 22% of the country’s paddy estates – have been affected.&nbsp;Maize cultivation has also been hit, with 6,525 hectares damaged, equivalent to 7.5% of the 87,000 hectares under cultivation.Vegetable crops have suffered heavily, with 6,000 hectares out of 15,000 hectares cultivated – roughly 41% – damaged.&nbsp;Other field crops, including chilli, onions, cowpea, and green gram, are estimated to have sustained 38% damage.&nbsp;These figures were calculated during the first week of December, and Dr. Wickramaarachchi noted that actual losses may be lower as some crops could recover.He added that the ministry was preparing to compensate farmers once a full assessment of damages was completed. Currently, officials are compiling and verifying data on losses caused by floods, landslides, and heavy rains, which will be finalised in the coming weeks.The Maha season has been severely impacted by Cyclone Ditwah, with major losses reported across both paddy and other field crops.&nbsp;Prior to the cyclone, an estimated 563,950 hectares of paddy, cultivated by 774,996 farmers (according to the Department of Agrarian Development), were at critical growth stages. Large areas are now submerged or waterlogged following intense and prolonged rainfall, resulting in substantial expected yield losses.&nbsp;While paddy fields are generally resilient to short-term flooding, the extent of damage varies widely depending on the crop’s growth stage at the time of inundation.According to the Joint Rapid Needs Assessment Phase I issued on 2 December, in addition, approximately 95,799 hectares of Other Field Crops (OFCs) and 13,463 hectares of vegetables, including maize, pulses, bananas, and various seasonal vegetables (CROPIX, Department of Agriculture), have sustained extensive damage due to flooding, prolonged waterlogging, and wind impact.&nbsp;

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hectares of crops destroyed

<ul><li>Large farms still under review</li></ul> The Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors’ (PHIs) Union is downplaying the risk of meat from dead animals entering the market from small and medium-sized farms impacted by recent floods, noting that there is at present no risk of the harmful meat entering the market.PHIs’ Union Secretary C. Muthukuda, speaking to The Sunday Morning, said PHIs had investigated the most affected farms in this sector.&nbsp;“Amidst the investigations, any animals that died in the floods have already been withdrawn according to health safety methods. For now, there is no risk of the harmful meat entering the market,” Muthukuda opined.He clarified, however, that the same assurance could not be given for large-scale commercial farms yet, adding that the union was yet to be officially informed of large-scale farms being affected.“If there are any, they will do investigations on them immediately,” he added.&nbsp;However, reports on social media point to multiple poultry farms being inundated and much of their stock perishing in the water.The statement follows a warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) to Sri Lanka on managing animals that have died due to flooding.&nbsp;The WHO has advised against touching dead fish and has recommended consulting PHIs before handling any animal carcasses, citing health hazards if such meat were to enter the market.Muthukuda also acknowledged challenges in investigating large farms but indicated that initial steps had been taken.

Food supply: PHIs downplay risk of contamination

Amid the devastating floods that have swept across Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security has assured that there is currently no critical shortage of essential goods in the country.According to the Disaster Management Centre’s Rapid Needs Assessment as of Tuesday (2), approximately 1.5 million people reside in districts classified as having moderate to high food insecurity risk.According to the assessment, the floods have caused severe crop losses, disrupted inland fisheries and shrimp farming, and damaged fishing vessels and landing sites.Livestock farmers and markets have also faced significant disruption. Vegetable prices have reportedly surged by 30–200% due to supply shortages, while rice and dhal have seen only slight increases.Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Deputy Minister of Food Security R.M. Jayawardana said that although vegetable crops had been damaged, the situation did not yet constitute a critical shortage.“A verdict to import vegetables has been taken, although no imports have been made so far. Approval is in place to import if the need arises,” he added.He further explained that although an estimated three million egg-laying hens had been lost due to the floods and cyclone, a pre-existing surplus of eggs had balanced the supply.“There have been proposals to gradually increase egg prices, but this has not been implemented as there is currently no shortage,” Jayawardana said.The Deputy Minister also stressed the need to monitor other volatile food items, including milk and meat, even though no shortages have been reported at present. Rice stocks remain in surplus, and there is little risk of a shortage in the coming months.To support affected farmers, the Government has decided to provide Rs. 100,000 per hectare in compensation, along with the necessary fertiliser free of charge.Jayawardana said that while some paddy crops would be unrecovered due to the floods, the losses would not result in a shortage of essential food items.&nbsp;

No critical shortage of essentials as of now

<ul><li>86% of affected consumers reconnected</li><li>Full restoration pledged by week’s end</li></ul> About 40% of the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) infrastructure has been damaged in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, CEB Deputy General Manager Noel Priyantha told The Sunday Morning.&nbsp;He said that of the 3.9 million consumers who had initially lost power during the severe weather, electricity supply had now been restored to approximately 3.5 million – around 86% – as of Friday (5).&nbsp;According to Priyantha, the distribution network suffered the worst impact, with transformers bearing the brunt of the damage.&nbsp;“Out of around 39,537 total transformers, around 17,143 became inactive – either damaged, submerged, or rendered unusable. By 6 a.m. on 5 December, around 15,100 had been rectified, leaving about 2,168 still to be repaired or replaced,” he said.He added that 2,994 high-voltage breakdowns had been reported, of which 2,429 had been fixed, while 339 remained pending. At the low-voltage and domestic level, 32,341 breakdowns were recorded, with 19,572 restored and nearly 12,266 yet to be addressed.“The numbers are still quite high,” Priyantha noted, adding that a full financial assessment of the damage was ongoing, as landslides and flooding continue to restrict access to several affected areas.Most of the destruction has been limited to the distribution sector and Priyantha confirmed that power stations had not been affected.&nbsp;One transmission line between Rantambe and Mahiyangana had suffered severe damage, including a tower that had been washed away, but has been temporarily restored. The Central Province and Badulla District have been identified as the hardest hit.&nbsp;Priyantha said that repairs were progressing with existing budget allocations and support from the Government, Police, armed forces, Road Development Authority, and telecommunications partners.“With the current progress and a dedicated workforce, I believe full restoration can be achieved within 3–4 days,” he added.

Power supply: Ditwah damages 40% of CEB infrastructure

Sri Lanka has formally requested approximately $ 200 million in emergency financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), in response to the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.In a statement issued on Friday (5), the IMF confirmed: “The Sri Lankan authorities have requested financial assistance under the RFI for SDR 150.5 million (about 26% of quota or roughly $ 200 million). The request is under consideration and pending approval by the IMF’s Executive Board.”IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka Evan Papageorgiou expressed sympathy for those affected, stating: “In the wake of the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah, we extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Sri Lanka.”&nbsp;He reiterated that the request was “under consideration and subject to Executive Board approval”.The IMF also affirmed its ongoing support: “We remain closely engaged with Sri Lankan authorities during this challenging period and are committed to supporting the country’s urgent efforts to recover, rebuild, and enhance future resilience.”Finance Ministry External Resources Department Director General R.M.S.P.S. Bandara explained that the Government’s request was aligned with IMF procedures and was awaiting board review.&nbsp;He noted: “The IMF is expected to consider the request during a board meeting next week or in the week beginning on the 15th.”Regarding Sri Lanka’s existing IMF-supported programme, Bandara clarified that the emergency request would not disrupt the scheduled sixth tranche review. “The review will proceed as planned, with the IMF team assessing progress after the Budget and current conditions, likely by late January or early February,” he said.On recovery planning, Bandara added that multiple agencies were currently conducting damage assessments to inform financing strategies for national recovery. “The World Bank is expected to provide an initial report by the 15th. Based on these assessments, we will plan how to effectively pre-finance recovery within a short timeframe,” he stated.Commenting on the economic significance of the request, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena described the move as essential. “Given that the entire island has been severely affected – essentially declared a red zone – the IMF’s RFI facility is designed for such acute crises, and I believe approval will be forthcoming,” he said.&nbsp;

Cyclone Ditwah: Hopes of finding survivors fade

Rupee shows little change:

Rupee shows little change:

Transport: 256 roads and 40 bridges damaged

Transport: 256 roads and 40 br ...

Donations: NMRA urges prior approval for donated supplies

Donations: NMRA urges prior ap ...

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hectares of crops destroyed

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hect ...

Food supply: PHIs downplay risk of contamination

Food supply: PHIs downplay ris ...

No critical shortage of essentials as of now

No critical shortage of essent ...

Power supply: Ditwah damages 40% of CEB infrastructure

Power supply: Ditwah damages 4 ...

SL requests $ 200 m IMF emergency aid

SL requests $ 200 m IMF emerge ...

Rupee shows little change:

Rupee shows little change:

Transport: 256 roads and 40 bridges damaged

Transport: 256 roads and 40 br ...

Donations: NMRA urges prior approval for donated supplies

Donations: NMRA urges prior ap ...

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hectares of crops destroyed

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hect ...

Food supply: PHIs downplay risk of contamination

Food supply: PHIs downplay ris ...

No critical shortage of essentials as of now

No critical shortage of essent ...

Power supply: Ditwah damages 40% of CEB infrastructure

Power supply: Ditwah damages 4 ...

SL requests $ 200 m IMF emergency aid

SL requests $ 200 m IMF emerge ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Rupee shows little change:

Rupee shows little change:

Transport: 256 roads and 40 bridges damaged

Transport: 256 roads and 40 br ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Donations: NMRA urges prior approval for donated supplies

Donations: NMRA urges prior ap ...

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hectares of crops destroyed

Agriculture: Over 200,000 hect ...

Food supply: PHIs downplay risk of contamination

Food supply: PHIs downplay ris ...

No critical shortage of essentials as of now

No critical shortage of essent ...