Cyclone Ditwah – Insights from RAPIDA Key Informant Interviews

Cyclone Ditwah made landfall along Sri Lanka’s eastern coast on 28 November 2025, bringing intense rainfall, widespread flooding, and multiple landslides. The cyclone affected several regions already facing structural and socioeconomic vulnerabilities, increasing the risk that immediate physical damage could translate into prolonged recovery challenges for affected communities.

To assess the impacts of Cyclone Ditwah, Disaster Management Center (DMC) and UNDP initiated RAPIDA, comprising two complementary components: a GIS-based analysis; and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The GIS component was launched in December 2025 to provide spatially grounded insights on exposure and damage.

This report presents findings from the second component, which involved key informant interviews (KIIs) conducted across 85 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the 22 most affected districts. The RAPIDA KIIs capture local perspectives on impacts, response actions, and early recovery needs. This initiative was developed and implemented with technical support from the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development in Sri Lanka and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Sri Lanka.

Informants reported widespread disruption to infrastructure, livelihoods, essential services, and the environment, alongside early repair and response efforts. At the same time, resource constraints, coordination challenges, and ongoing climate risks were identified as key barriers to recovery. The findings reflect indicative key informant perspectives and are intended to inform the prioritization of early recovery and resilience-focused interventions.