Cyclone Ditwah: International community pledges support as cyclone toll in Sri Lanka climbs to 390 Today World News

Many countries have pledged support to Sri Lanka as it braces for a long recovery from the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah over the last few days, claiming at least 390 lives.

As the island faces the aftermath of one of its worst instances of flooding and landslides in years, India stepped in immediately, summoning its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to support the Sri Lankan military’s rescue efforts, apart from dispatching emergency relief material.

Although heavy rains have let up in many parts of the island, reports of severe waterlogging and inundation, and landslides in the badly-affected hill country persist.  

Pakistan, too, brought in its military personnel and aid, even as many countries including China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States pledged financial support.

In his televised address to the nation on Sunday (November 30) evening, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed confidence about mobilising “a substantial amount of funds” required to rebuild the country. “We are working very closely with friendly nations to secure their assistance,” he said.

Addressing private sector representatives on Sunday, Mr. Dissanayake pointed to the extensive damage to road networks, houses, farmlands, plantations, highways, bridges, government buildings, schools and electricity poles in the disaster, his office said in a statement.

The government has also begun discussions with the World Bank to prepare a detailed assessment of the damage across sectors and the financial requirement for reconstruction, and an assessment is expected in two weeks.

According to an initial assessment of the UN’s relief coordination office, over 15,000 homes have been destroyed, more than 200 roads remain inaccessible, several bridges damaged, and sections of the rail network and national power grid have been affected. Access to clean water has emerged a serious concern, with many areas reporting little or no supply.

A 2023 report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), pointed out that “nearly half of Sri Lanka’s population, 48.8 %, lacked disaster preparedness, a key vulnerability factor aggravated by accelerating climate risks”.

Meanwhile, the political opposition staged a walkout in Parliament on Monday (December 1), accusing the government of preventing a debate on the impact of the disaster.