The Tamil Nadu government has donated 950 metric tonnes of essential relief items to people affected due to Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
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Insurance companies have agreed to expedite payments for claims linked to insured perils caused by cyclone Ditwah, following a special meeting held on 3 December 2025 with senior government and regulatory officials. The discussion brought together Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury, Manjula Hettiarachchi, Director General of the Department of Development Finance, Dr. Ajith Raveendra De Mel, Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL), and Damayanthi Fernando, Director General of IRCSL. According to the IRCSL, insurers have pledged to accelerate claim settlements and remove administrative delays to ensure affected policyholders receive timely relief. The regulator noted…
The Champion Team Defeats Elizabeth Moir 6–0 in the TISSL Final and overcome Royal College 3–0 to secure third place at the All-Island A Division Tournament. Gateway College Colombo, despite missing three key players who were away on national duty, retained their crown as U20 International Schools’ Football Champions with another dominant performance in this year’s Under 20 Inter-International Schools Football Tournament. Gateway made a strong start to the competition, defeating Royal Institute 5–0 and the British School in Colombo 8–0 in the group stages. They continued their relentless momentum with a commanding 13–0 win over CIS Colombo in the…
Train season ticket holders travelling for work from Kandy to Colombo and from Kurunegala to Colombo will be allowed to travel by bus as train services are interrupted. This arrangement will be in effect from Monday, 08 December 2025 Morning Buses departing from Rambukkana: 5:30 am, 5:45 am and 6:00 am Evening Buses arriving at Rambukkana: 7:45 pm, 8:15 pm and 9:00 pm The post Kurunegala & Kandy train pass holders to get special bus service from Monday appeared first on Newswire.
An aircraft carrying 2.6 metric tons of disaster relief aid from Switzerland arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, this morning (06).
A key 132 kV transmission line connecting Rantambe and Mahiyangana was restored today after being out of service for several days due to a severe accident that damaged the line and affected electricity supply in parts of the Ampara district. Following the incident, several areas were disconnected from the national grid, forcing residents to remain without electricity for multiple days. During this period, the limited power generated from the Inginiyagala power plant was prioritised for essential services such as hospitals. Teams of engineers and technical staff of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) worked around the clock to erect a temporary…
The Health Promotion Bureau warns people to be on the alert for eye infections, which can easily spread in places where people gather following the recent floods.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation reported that the carcass of a rare dugong (Dugong dugon) was found washed ashore on the Pesalai beach along the Mannar coast on November 30.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold a total of 45.843 billion rupees of Treasury bills offered at an auction and on tap last week, data from the Ministry of Finance’s Public Debt Management Office showed. The 3-month yield was down 1 basis point at 7.51 percent, with 10 billion rupees of bills offered at the auction on Tuesday, and 3.86 billion sold. The 6-month yield was unchanged at 7.91 percent, with 23 billion rupees offered and 9.33 billion sold. The 12-month yield was unchanged at 8.03 percent with 15 billion rupees offered and 2.63 billion bills sold. At the auction…
• A mechanism that goes beyond the normal state apparatus is needed to restore public life • Priority must be given to cultivating arable land • No allowance will be given for illegal constructions hereafter • A long-term plan is needed to restore the eroding Central Highlands • Appreciation for the work carried out by state officials and the Tri-Forces President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that a unified operational mechanism, which goes beyond the normal state administration, is required to restore public life after a disaster. The President stated this while participating in the Kandy District Coordinating Committee meeting held…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Abans Finance PLC said it plans a debenture sale to raise up to 1.5 billion rupees. 15 million listed, rated, senior, unsecured, redeemable debentures will be offered, it said in stock exchange filing. The issue is subject to obtaining all necessary regulatory and other approvals. (Colombo/Dec6/2025)
A ship carrying emergency relief from the Government of Tamil Nadu is en route to Sri Lanka to assist communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah and the subsequent floods and landslides. The vessel, loaded with 950 metric tons of essential supplies, left the Port of Tuticorin today carrying food items and clothing meant for distribution to disaster-hit families across Sri Lanka. The aid shipment has been dispatched under the direction of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. According to the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai, the consignment was provided in response to a request made by Dr.…
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath briefed foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations on Thursday on Sri Lanka’s ongoing recovery following Cyclone Ditwah. The Prime Minister thanked all partners for their rapid support during the emergency and noted that the country has now moved from immediate response to full-scale recovery and reconstruction. She said the Government’s priorities include restoring electricity, water, transport, health services and telecommunications across affected districts. A comprehensive needs assessment is underway with development partners, which will guide rehabilitation plans. The Prime Minister invited international support for…
The Ministry of Defence, through the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC), has issued an updated guideline outlining the process for providing a Rs. 25,000 allowance to households affected by the severe disaster situation that began on 21st November 2025. The circular, sent to all District and Divisional Secretaries, states that the allowance will be granted to all categories of affected houses, including: * Totally damaged houses * Partially damaged houses * Houses affected by minor flooding, even if there is no structural damage According to the guideline, every affected housing unit is eligible for this payment, and no damage…
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has instructed all licensed banks to grant relief to individuals and businesses affected by recent cyclonic and flood disasters. The directive, issued through Circular No. 04 of 2025, aims to support recovery while maintaining financial system stability. Banks have been asked to accept written or electronic requests for relief by 15 January 2026. Measures include a 3–6 month suspension of capital and interest repayments on existing loans, with interest capped at the contracted rate and no additional interest on deferred amounts. They are also required to extend new loan facilities based on borrowers’…
The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has announced that the Welimada–Nuwara Eliya road has been reopened to traffic today (6). The road had been closed since 29 November following a major landslide near Keppetipola Police Station in Welimada — a disaster that blocked access and triggered ongoing recovery operations. Authorities say that with the reopening, supplies and essential goods can once again reach Nuwara Eliya without major disruption. The post Welimada–Nuwara Eliya road reopened for traffic appeared first on Newswire.
Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre Issued at 12.15 p.m. 06 December 2025 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 06 December 2025 The post High risk severe lightning warning issued for 7 districts appeared first on Newswire.
Three hospitals – Chilaw Base Hospital, Mahiyanganaya and Wattegama hospitals- have sustained extensive damage from the latest disasters induced by cyclone Ditwah and another 100 small hospitals have been submerged by the floodwaters, an official said.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation has reported that the carcass of a rare marine mammal, the dugong (Dugong dugon), was found washed ashore at Pesalai beach on the Mannar coastline on November 30. The 8-foot-2-inch male dugong was initially observed by local fishermen and navy personnel before being examined by wildlife officials. Upon inspection, the officials noted injuries on the dugong’s underside, including an 11 cm wound near the belly and a 6 cm wound on the right side. The department confirmed that these injuries were caused by a sharp object rather than entanglement in fishing nets. The dugong had…
A mammoth batting effort from the West Indies middle-order helps the visitors draw the first NZ vWI Test in Christchurch The post ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027 – Points Table appeared first on Newswire.