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A man assists a woman stranded inside a partially flooded house amid severe flooding in Wellampitiya, on the outskirts of Colombo, on November 29, 2025.— AFP
– Over 15,000 homes have been destroyed, displacing 78,000 people who are now in temporary shelters.
– The military rescued 69 bus passengers, including a German tourist, from floodwaters.
– The government has called for international aid to help support affected communities.
Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency Saturday and requested international assistance as fatalities from heavy rains and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 132, with 176 people still missing.
The cyclone has wrecked over 15,000 homes and forced 78,000 residents into government-run shelters, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). President Anura Kumara Dissanayake enacted emergency laws, granting broad powers to manage the crisis after a week of relentless rainfall across the island.
“It’s confirmed that 132 people have died, and 176 are missing,” said Sampath Kotuwegoda, the DMC Director-General. Relief efforts have been intensified with the deployment of the army, navy, and air force.
On Saturday, the military rescued 69 bus passengers, including a German tourist, stranded in the Anuradhapura district, after a 24-hour operation involving helicopters and naval vessels. One passenger recounted that navy personnel helped them climb onto a nearby rooftop after using ropes to navigate floodwaters.
“We were very fortunate,” Shantha said from a local hospital. “While on the roof, part of it collapsed… three women fell into the water, but they were helped back onto the roof.” An initial helicopter rescue was aborted when rotor downdrafts threatened to blow the roof away; they were later rescued by naval boats.
Roads in Badulla’s central district remain blocked, isolating many villages and preventing relief supplies from reaching residents. Saman Kumara from Maspanna village, one of the worst-hit areas, reported losing two people in his community. Others are sheltering at a temple and a still-standing house.
“We can’t leave the village, and no one can enter because all roads are blocked by landslides. There’s no food, and clean water is scarce,” he told News Center by phone.
Officials say about one-third of the country is without electricity and clean water, due to collapsed power lines and overwhelmed water purification stations. Internet access has also been disrupted in many regions.
Cyclone Ditwah moved away from Sri Lanka Saturday, heading toward northern India. Chennai Airport has canceled 54 flights in anticipation of the cyclone’s approach, which the weather department warns will bring intense rainfall and strong winds over the next 48 hours.
Landslides have struck Kandy, 115 kilometers east of Colombo, with several main roads submerged. The government is appealing for international support and has urged Sri Lankans abroad to donate cash to aid recovery efforts.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has met with diplomats based in Colombo to update them on the situation and seek assistance. India responded promptly, dispatching two flights of relief supplies and donating rations from an Indian navy ship already stationed in Colombo on a goodwill visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the lives lost and affirmed India’s readiness to provide more aid. Flooding worsened in low-lying areas on Saturday, prompting evacuation orders along the Kelani River, which flows into the Indian Ocean from Colombo.
While most of the country has seen eased rainfall, the northern regions continue to experience showers due to residual effects of Cyclone Ditwah. This storm marks Sri Lanka’s deadliest natural disaster since 2017, when flooding and landslides claimed over 200 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. The most catastrophic flooding in recent memories occurred in June 2003, resulting in 254 deaths.
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