Over 80 dead as cyclonic storm leaves 'unprecedented' trail of destruction in Sri Lanka

Colombo: Sri Lanka on Friday grappled with one of its worst disasters as cyclonic storm Ditwah wreaked havoc, causing floods and landslides that left more than 80 dead, amid a trail of destruction and damage to infrastructure.

India launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of crisis, and the first tranche of relief materials was handed over after the consignments were transported by the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and frontline ship INS Udaigiri to the island nation.

The relief came as Sri Lankan authorities warned of an “unprecedented disaster situation” in the Western Province from Friday night due to rising water levels in the Kelani and Attanagalu rivers.

Both Colombo and the next most populous district of Gampaha are under severe threat, prompting officials to urge residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate, they said.

Late on Friday, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed more than 80 people have died, while 34 remain missing in the past three days, as rescue operations intensify, according to news portal NewsFirst.lk.

The DMC said as many as 1,48,603 individuals from 44,192 families were suffering due to widespread flooding, while 5,024 families (approximately 14,000 people) had taken shelter in 195 emergency centres.

Scores of houses were destroyed completely or partially, leaving thousands homeless as Cyclone Ditwah unleashed torrential rainfall, triggering extensive flooding, landslides in central hill regions and major disruptions in other parts that have left several areas inaccessible.

“It is unlikely this situation will change. We expect the Kelani River’s water levels to exceed those recorded during the 2016 floods,” Director General Ajith Gunasekara told reporters.

He urged residents in vulnerable locations to secure essential items, including educational certificates, vehicle documents and valuables, before relocating to safer ground.

The central Matale district recorded the highest rainfall in the 24 hours ending 6 am Thursday, receiving 540 mm, authorities said.

Three major bridges — Moragahakanda Main Bridge, Elahera Bridge, and Kumara Ella Bridge — were washed away, cutting off vital transport routes and isolating communities in Matale, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, and Uva provinces, all routes crucial for trade, agriculture, and relief convoys.

The disaster management officials said that the severity of the weather has significantly hindered the ability of officials to reach affected sites or carry out on-ground assessments and rescue efforts.

The Irrigation Department issued a further warning that the Kelani river is approaching historically high flood levels, posing a severe risk to Colombo and surrounding areas for the next two days, the news portal said.

Severe weather has also caused widespread power outages, affecting 25 to 30 per cent of the region.

Two major hydropower plants, Kotmale and Rantambe, were shut down after a power cable failure, said Shirley Kumara, general manager of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

As of 5:30 pm Friday, the cyclonic storm Ditwah lay centred about 40 kilometres west-northwest of Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka, officials said, adding, it was moving north-northwest, dumping massive rainfall.

The Indian High Commission, in a statement, said New Delhi has so far provided 4.5 tonnes of dry rations and 2 tonnes of fresh rations, including staple foods, packaged and ready-to-eat items, dairy and bakery products, beverages, and other nutritional essentials.

Additional survival supplies have also been handed over, it said.

Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) described the current situation as “extraordinary and unprecedented” and warned that landslides could occur at any moment in any mountainous region due to the prevailing severe weather conditions.

The director of the NBRO’s Landslide Research Division told local media that landslides can occur when rainfall exceeds 150 mm within 24 hours. “Several mountainous areas have (already) received more than 500 mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours,” he said on Friday afternoon.

“The total rainfall during the past 10 days is close to 1,000 mm. This situation is unlike anything we have ever experienced,” he said.

Earlier in the day, a diplomatic briefing was held at the Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya's office, and attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

The Colombo-based Heads of Mission were updated on the Sri Lankan government’s ongoing emergency flood relief operations and recovery measures, and they were told that the government has designated an officer to handle inquiries regarding foreign tourists affected by the current disaster situation, according to the PM’s Office.

According to local media, several important examinations were postponed due to the precarious flood situation, authorities announced.

In response to the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, President Dissanayake invoked powers under the Essential Public Services Act, declaring a wide range of services as “essential” to the life of the community reeling under severe adverse weather conditions.

These services include electricity supply; supply or distribution of petroleum products, fuel, including gas; hospitals, water supply, and public transport.

All long-distance express, intercity, and night mail trains on every railway line were cancelled, with several train services resuming on Friday evening only within the Western Province, according to railway authorities.