Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah Flash Update 4

The latest reports indicate a significant increase in impacts from Cyclone Ditwah, widening humanitarian needs across the country. The Government declared 22 of the island’s 25 districts as national disaster affected areas.

Updated government figures report 474 deaths and 356 people missing, with 1,586,329 people (448,817 families) affected across all 25 districts.

The cyclone, which moved across Sri Lanka on 28 November, has left 201,875 people from 53,758 families sheltering in 1,385 government-run safety centres. A total 41,329 houses have been partially or fully damaged.

The highest numbers of affected people are recorded in Puttalam, Colombo, Gampaha and Mannar, reflecting widespread inundation across western, north-western and northern districts. With over 200 landslides in recent days, landslide alerts were extended until 3 December across several areas, including the central highland districts of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, where significant loss of life and structural damage have already occurred.