Capital Submerged as Cyclone Death Toll Rises
Sri Lanka is reeling from its deadliest natural disaster in years after Cyclone Ditwah unleashed torrential rains and devastating mudslides across the island. The official death toll has reached 193, with 228 people still missing, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).
Entire northern areas of the capital, Colombo, were inundated as water levels in the Kelani River surged dangerously high. A DMC official explained that while the cyclone itself has passed, "heavy rains upstream are now flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Kelani River."
Residents Forced to Flee Rising Waters
The human impact of the catastrophe became starkly visible in the Colombo suburb of Wellampitiya, where residents were photographed wading through flooded streets carrying their salvaged belongings last Sunday.
Selvi, a 46-year-old resident of Wennawatte, was among those forced to abandon her home. "My house is completely flooded. I don't know where to go, but I hope there is some safe shelter where I can take my family," she told Agence France-Presse, clutching four bags of clothes and valuables.
Further north-east in Manampitiya, 72-year-old S Sivanandan described unprecedented destruction as floodwaters receded. "Manampitiya is a flood-prone town, but I have never seen such a volume of water," he told the News Centre portal, noting that a car had flipped upside down directly outside his shop.
International Aid Mobilises as Risks Persist
In response to the escalating crisis, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency on Saturday and appealed for international assistance.
India led the relief efforts, dispatching essential supplies and two helicopters for rescue missions, with two additional helicopters expected to join the operation. Pakistan has also committed rescue teams, while Japan is sending an assessment team to determine immediate needs.
The National Building Research Organisation has issued a grave warning about the ongoing risk of further landslides, noting that mountain slopes remain saturated with rainwater.
The scale of displacement is enormous, with more than 25,000 homes destroyed, 147,000 people taking refuge in state-run temporary shelters, and an additional 968,000 requiring assistance after being displaced by the floods.
Military personnel from the army, navy, and air force are working alongside civilian workers and volunteers in a massive relief operation. Climate scientists note that the climate crisis is intensifying storm patterns, leading to heavier rainfall and more destructive flooding events like this one, Sri Lanka's deadliest natural disaster since 2017.
