- Authorities confirm 153 deaths, with toll expected to rise sharply. At least 200 people remain missing
- Disaster teams struggle to reach isolated areas devastated by days of relentless rain
- Thousands of soldiers, police, emergency workers, and volunteers have been deployed nationwide
- India has sent two search-and-rescue teams consisting of 80 personnel and additional relief supplies, according to its embassy in Colombo.
Rescue teams in Sri Lanka are racing against time as entire villages remain cut off by catastrophic floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah. Tens of thousands have been forced into shelters, homes lie submerged, and major roads have been swallowed by mud and debris.
The government declared a state of emergency on Saturday, after authorities confirmed 153 deaths, with the toll expected to rise sharply. At least 200 people remain missing, as disaster teams struggle to reach isolated areas devastated by days of relentless rain.
According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), more than 20,000 homes have been destroyed, pushing over 78,000 people into nearly 800 relief shelters across the country. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency powers to speed up relief operations after the storm inundated entire districts and unleashed widespread landslides, according to dw.com
The cyclone, which formed east of Sri Lanka, is now heading toward India’s southern coast.
Villages Cut Off and Fears of Rising Death Toll
The central Badulla district remains one of the hardest hit, with landslides blocking access roads and leaving entire communities unreachable. Social media posts have shown scenes of devastation in areas that authorities have yet to reach, prompting fears that many more lives have been lost.
Among the confirmed victims were 11 elderly residents of a care home in Kurunegala, where floodwaters surged through the building on Saturday.
Massive Rescue Efforts Under Way
Thousands of soldiers, police, emergency workers, and volunteers have been deployed nationwide. In one operation, 69 stranded bus passengers, including a German tourist, were rescued after being trapped for 24 hours in the Anuradhapura district.
India has sent two search-and-rescue teams consisting of 80 personnel and additional relief supplies, according to its embassy in Colombo.
In the capital, Colombo, floodwaters spilling in from upstream districts overwhelmed neighborhoods, including Malwana—experiencing its worst flooding in a decade. Many homes remain without electricity, forcing families to shelter on upper floors to protect what little they have left.
More Rain on the Way
Schools, offices, and passenger train services have been suspended as mudslides, rockfalls, and fallen trees continue to block tracks and major highways.
Meteorologists warn that more heavy rain is expected through the weekend, increasing the risk of further landslides and flooding in already saturated regions.
Sri Lanka remains on edge as the full scale of the tragedy continues to unfold.
