Cyclone Ditwah Triggers Widespread Flooding, Prompting Major International Aid Response in Sri Lanka

Cyclone Ditwah intensified its destructive path across Sri Lanka through November 28, 2025, bringing torrential rainfall that resulted in catastrophic flooding and deadly landslides across the island nation. Initial reports indicated that some locations recorded precipitation exceeding 500 millimeters within a single 24-hour period, leading to severe impact on more than 150,000 residents across 15 administrative districts.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed that as of late Friday, the confirmed death toll had surpassed 80, with numerous individuals still unaccounted for. The crisis was particularly acute in the central provinces of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, where landslides proved most devastating. Official figures detail that over 600 residences have been either completely destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, significantly compounding the displacement challenge.

Infrastructure suffered extensive damage, notably the transportation network, where passenger train services were suspended due to debris obstructing railway lines. Near the capital, the Kelani River breached its banks, prompting the issuance of red-level flood warnings across several river basins nationwide. DMC Director General Ajith Gunasekara advised residents to secure essential documents, noting that water levels were projected to exceed those recorded during the significant 2016 flood events.

In response to the escalating humanitarian emergency, the Republic of India initiated 'Operation Sagar Bandhu,' a significant mobilization utilizing naval assets, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the frontline ship INS Udaigiri, to deliver critical Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) supplies. The initial consignment included 4.5 tons of dry rations and 2 tons of fresh rations. The deployment of INS Vikrant was notable, as the vessel had recently concluded port calls in Colombo between November 25 and 26 ahead of the International Fleet Review 2025 scheduled for November 30.

The disaster's impact has been unevenly distributed; the Badulla district reported at least 30 fatalities, while Kandy accounted for 19 missing persons by Friday evening. The Western Province faces severe threat from rising levels of the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers, prompting urgent evacuation advisories for Colombo and the adjacent Gampaha district. Economic activity has been hampered by inundation and infrastructure failures, including the shutdown of the Kotmale and Rantambe hydropower plants following a power cable failure.

The government of Sri Lanka has formally invited expatriates and foreign nationals to contribute to a national disaster relief fund to aid recovery from what is being termed the worst natural disaster since the floods of May 2017. National response efforts involve military and police coordinating evacuations, including airlifting individuals trapped in various locations, such as one man stranded atop a coconut tree in Polonnaruwa.