Colombo, Sri Lanka – November 28, 2025 – In a tragedy unfolding across the island nation, at least 56 people have lost their lives and 21 others remain missing following 10 days of relentless heavy rainfall that has triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides since November 17. Rescue operations persist amid worsening conditions as Cyclone Ditwah, a cyclonic storm intensifying off the eastern coast, exacerbates the crisis with gale-force winds and torrential downpours. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reports that over 43,991 individuals from 17 districts have been severely impacted, with more than 12,000 families displaced and seeking shelter in temporary evacuation centres.
The DMC's latest update, issued early Friday, paints a grim picture of the disaster's scope. Heavy downpours have swollen rivers and reservoirs to overflowing levels, submerging homes, farmlands, and vital infrastructure. In the central tea-growing districts of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya – epicentres of the devastation – 25 fatalities have been confirmed, primarily from landslides that buried entire villages under mud and debris. Another 14 people sustained injuries in these areas, with rescue teams still combing through unstable slopes for survivors. Local media outlets, including the Daily Mirror, have documented harrowing scenes: families clinging to rooftops as floodwaters rise, vehicles swept away in flash floods, and highways reduced to rivers of silt.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, responding swiftly to the escalating emergency, convened an all-party crisis meeting on Thursday and ordered the mobilisation of over 20,000 military personnel for rescue and relief efforts. “We must act without delay; no financial constraints should hinder aid to our people,” Dissanayake stated during a virtual briefing with district secretaries, emphasising the need for bipartisan cooperation. The armed forces have deployed helicopters, navy boats, and armoured vehicles to reach isolated communities, particularly in the hill country where access roads are blocked by fallen trees and rockfalls. The President’s Fund has approved Rs. 1 million in compensation for each fatality, with an initial Rs. 1.2 billion allocated for immediate relief and an additional Rs. 30 billion from the 2025 budget earmarked for emergency response.
The meteorological mayhem traces back to a persistent low-pressure system that formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal, evolving into Cyclonic Storm Ditwah by Thursday afternoon. Centred approximately 20 km southwest of Batticaloa as of early Friday, the cyclone is moving north-northwest at 15 km/h, with sustained winds of 60–70 km/h and gusts up to 90 km/h. The Department of Meteorology warns of very heavy rainfall exceeding 200 mm in central, Uva, and eastern provinces, with some areas like the northeast potentially receiving up to 360 mm in 24 hours. This deluge has saturated soils, rendering hillsides precarious and triggering over a dozen major landslides since the weekend.
Batticaloa district, on the eastern coast, has borne the brunt of the rainfall, recording over 300 mm (11.8 inches) in a single 24-hour period – an unprecedented volume that has turned streets into raging torrents. In the coastal town of Samanthurai, a vehicle carrying three occupants was swept away by floodwaters, underscoring the dangers faced by residents in low-lying areas. Similar chaos grips Ampara and Trincomalee, where overflowing reservoirs like the Senanayake Samudraya have prompted red flood warnings for downstream communities. The Polonnaruwa–Batticaloa road remains impassable, isolating villages and complicating aid delivery.
In response to the heightened landslide risks, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued Level 3 (Red) evacuation alerts for eight high-risk districts: Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura. These warnings, valid until at least Saturday morning, target steep slopes, hillside settlements, and vulnerable zones where soil instability could lead to sudden collapses. “Residents must evacuate immediately; do not wait for the situation to worsen,” urged NBRO officials in a public advisory. Amber and yellow alerts extend to 13 additional districts, affecting over 100 divisional secretariats. Authorities have established hotlines and special operations centres in police divisions to coordinate evacuations and report emergencies.
The human cost extends beyond the confirmed deaths. Over 600 homes have been partially or fully destroyed, with another 425 damaged by mudslides, forcing nearly 1,800 families into makeshift shelters. Agricultural losses are staggering: tea estates in the central highlands, a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s economy, report flooded fields and uprooted crops, potentially costing millions in exports. Schools and government offices nationwide were shuttered Friday, and the 2025 GCE Advanced Level examinations postponed for two days to prioritise safety. Rail services on the Eastern Line, including routes to Trincomalee and Batticaloa, have been suspended after tracks were inundated or buried under debris. Several national parks, including those in the hill country, are temporarily closed to protect visitors and wildlife.
International solidarity has poured in as the crisis deepens. India, a close neighbour, has pledged helicopters from the INS Vikrant – docked in Colombo for the International Fleet Review – to bolster aerial rescues. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, New Delhi is dispatching relief supplies, including food, medicine, and emergency kits. The Maldives, Azerbaijan, and the UK have expressed condolences and offered assistance, with the British High Commission updating travel advisories for its nationals. On social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Sri Lankans and global users are sharing stories of resilience: volunteers distributing pet food to stranded animals, communities pooling resources for neighbours, and air force pilots executing daring rooftop extractions.
This disaster marks Sri Lanka’s deadliest weather event since the 2017 floods that claimed over 200 lives, displacing hundreds of thousands. Climate experts attribute the increasing ferocity of such monsoons to global warming, which intensifies rainfall patterns and heightens vulnerability in a country already strained by economic recovery efforts post-2022 crisis. The DMC warns that with Cyclone Ditwah projected to make landfall in India’s Tamil Nadu coast by November 30, cross-border effects could prolong the ordeal.
As night falls on the inundated island, the focus remains on saving lives. “Our hearts are with every family enduring this unimaginable loss,” President Dissanayake said in a national address. “Together, we will rebuild stronger.” Rescue teams, undeterred by the lashing rains, continue their tireless work, a beacon of hope amid the deluge. For those in affected areas, authorities reiterate: stay vigilant, heed evacuation orders, and report hazards via local hotlines. Sri Lanka’s spirit, forged in adversity, endures – but the road to recovery will be long and arduous.
