Cyclone Ditwa wreaks havoc in Sri Lanka, death toll reaches 618, landslide warnings issued

New Delhi: Sri Lanka is experiencing continuous heavy rainfall. Due to this, the meteorological department issued landslide alerts on Sunday. Cyclone Ditwa, which struck last week, has caused widespread devastation in the hilly and low-lying areas of Sri Lanka. So far, 618 deaths have been confirmed in rain, flood, and landslide-related incidents, and this number is expected to rise.

More than 2 million people in Sri Lanka, or approximately 10% of the population, have been affected by the floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwa. The Sri Lanka Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed 618 deaths, 464 of which occurred in the central hilly region, known for its tea plantations. 209 people are still missing. More than 75,000 houses have been damaged, with nearly 5,000 completely destroyed.

Rain continues in several parts of Sri Lanka, loosening the soil in the hills and increasing the risk of further landslides. The situation is particularly critical in the central mountainous region and the northwestern hills. Floods and landslides have cut off several communities from the outside world. Relief supplies are being delivered to these areas by helicopters and aircraft.

On Sunday, the Sri Lankan Air Force received a plane carrying relief supplies from Myanmar. The number of people in government relief camps has decreased from 225,000 to 100,000 as water levels have receded in some areas. The Sri Lankan government implemented a major compensation scheme on Friday to help rebuild damaged homes and businesses. According to a senior official, reconstruction could cost approximately $7 billion.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is considering Sri Lanka’s request for an additional $200 million in aid. This amount will be separate from the $347 million that is due this month as part of the IMF’s $2.9 billion four-year package. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament that the country’s economy is recovering, but it is not in a position to cope with such a massive natural disaster alone.

In the past two weeks, several countries in South and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have been devastated by storms and heavy rains. A total of 1,812 people have died in these countries. In Indonesia’s Aceh province, 916 people have died in the floods, and 274 are missing. President Prabowo Subianto visited the affected areas again. Some people accused the government of engaging in “disaster tourism,” saying they needed real help, not just visits.