COLOMBO: Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Saturday and appealed for international assistance as the death toll from heavy rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 153, with another 176 reported missing. The extreme weather system has destroyed more than 15,000 homes, sending 78,000 people to state-run temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide. More than 78,000 people have been moved to nearly 800 relief centres, mostly set up in schools, the Disaster Management Centre said. Thousands of police, navy personnel and army troops are distributing food, clearing roads and moving trapped families to safety.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, granting him sweeping powers to deal with the devastation after a week of torrential rain across the island. The military rescued 69 bus passengers on Saturday, including a German tourist, who were marooned in the Anuradhapura district after a 24-hour operation involving a helicopter and naval boats.
One of the passengers, speaking to reporters at a local hospital, said navy sailors had helped them climb onto the roof of a nearby home after using ropes to help them safely wade through flood waters. "We were very lucky... while we were on the roof, a part of it collapsed... three women fell into the water, but they were helped back onto the roof," Shantha said.
A helicopter had to abort an initial rescue attempt as the downdraft from the rotors threatened to blow away the roof they were perched on, he said. They were later rescued by naval boats. Roads in the central district of Badulla remained inaccessible, leaving many villages cut off and relief supplies unable to get through. "We lost two people in our village... others are sheltering at a temple and a house that is still standing," said Saman Kumara from the village of Maspanna in Badulla, one of the worst-affected districts.
Cyclone Ditwah moved away from the island on Saturday and was heading towards neighbouring India to the north. India's Chennai Airport has cancelled 54 flights in view of the cyclone's approach, with the weather department forecasting extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds over the next 48 hours. Fresh landslides hit the central district of Kandy, 115 kilometres east of Colombo, with the main access road underwater at several locations.
The flooding in Malwana and other low-lying areas near Colombo has left most homes underwater and without power, authorities said. Meteorological authorities have forecast continued rains over the weekend, raising fears of further flooding in already waterlogged regions. Some residents opted to remain in the upper floors of partially submerged homes, protecting their belongings. Local businesses, including pharmacies, supermarkets and fabric shops are inundated, heightening concerns over financial losses as shop owners worry about long-term recovery.
The government has issued an appeal for international help and asked Sri Lankans abroad to make cash donations to support affected communities. Officials said Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya had met Colombo-based diplomats to update them on the situation and seek assistance from their governments. India was the first to respond, sending two plane loads of relief supplies, while an Indian warship already in Colombo on a previously planned goodwill visit donated its rations to help victims.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in Sri Lanka and said New Delhi was ready to send more aid.
Flooding in low-lying areas worsened on Saturday, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for those living along the banks of the Kelani river, which flows into the Indian Ocean from Colombo. — Agencies
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