State of Emergency Declared as Widespread Floods and Landslides Cut Off Districts
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka is grappling with one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent history as the death toll from the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 334, with 370 people still officially reported missing, according to the Disaster Management Center. Widespread floods and devastating landslides continue to isolate several districts across the island nation.
In response, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the nation, confirming that a State of Emergency has been declared to expedite relief and recovery efforts. The priority remains locating the missing and restoring critical access to cut-off areas.
India has significantly intensified its assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu, deploying helicopters and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to the hardest-hit regions. Joint Sri Lankan and Indian forces have carried out large-scale rescues, including airlifting 211 people near Mavil Aru Tank and executing operations in Kotmale. Indian Air Force helicopters are transporting the injured and delivering urgent supplies to isolated communities, even airlifting stranded passengers back to India yesterday.
Despite the collaborative efforts, rescue teams continue to battle challenging conditions, with local authorities warning of new landslide risks as persistent rains cause river levels to rise.