ECONOMYNEXT – A Ceylon Electricity Board technician had died while restoring the national grid which was badly hit by Cyclone Ditwawh, the power utility said adding to first responder deaths. Anurudda Kumara, a 41 year old techninician who joined the CEB as a temporary worker and was confirmed in 2017 as a permanent staffer attached to the Ukuwela Power Station, a whatsapp message from the utility said. From 2022 he was working as a cable linesman. On December 03, while working to restore the Bowatte-Weerapokuna high tension line, he was electrocuted by a low tension line. He had passed away…
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ECONOMYNEXT – About 563,950 hectares of Sri Lanka’s main Maha rice cropping season was sown when Cyclone Ditwah high, a Joint Rapid Needs assessment conducted by the United Nations and the Disaster Management Centre said. Sri Lanka farmers usually sow about 800,000 to 850,000 hectares in the Maha season. Just before the Cyclone hit 563,950 hactares were sown by 774,996 farmers which were at various growth stages. “Large areas are now submerged or waterlogged following intense and prolonged rainfall, resulting in substantial expected yield losses,” the Joint Needs Assessment said. “While paddy fields are generally prone to short-term flooding, the…
ECONOMYNEXT – Cyclone Ditwah has left 829 dead and missing in Sri Lanka with hardest hit in areas in the central province of the hill country of the Indian Ocean Island, official data shows. By December 03 evening 479 persons were confirmed dead and 350 were still listed as missing in Sri Lanka, with 1.61 million were hit by floods and landslides, the island’s Disaster Management Centre data said. In the more highly populated Kandy area in the central hills which includes Gampola, 118 were confirmed dead and 171 missing. In Nuwara Eliya also in the central province 89 were…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold 1 and 2 year dollar denominated bonds raising 50 million US dollars, data from the debt office showed. 33 million dollars of 1-year bonds were sold at an average of 5.7 percent after getting bids for 45.5 million dollars. 17 million dollars of 2-year bonds were sold at an average 6.1 percent after getting bids for 42.5 million dollars. Only 1 million dollars of bids came for 3-year dollar bonds which were not accepted. Related Sri Lanka to sell dollar bonds to local market again There would be a possible upsizing by an additional…
In response to the severe impact of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah, the United States is providing $2 million in emergency life-saving assistance for people in need in Sri Lanka, the office of the spokesman said.
The Colombo Stock Exchange witnessed subdued sentiment today, even as the Capital Goods sector dominated overall activity by contributing 39% of total turnover and generating LKR 1.46 billion. AEL.N emerged as the day’s top contributor, recording LKR 282 million in turnover with 3.9 million shares changing hands.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will take strict disciplinary action against members of the Kandy Municipal Council who reportedly obstructed relief efforts by volunteers in the district.
Around 35 Opposition political parties which met former President Ranil Wickremesinghe today, urged the government to convene a national level meeting of political, religious and other civil leaders to discuss the current disaster situation.
Former Minister of Finance and current Member of Parliament, Ravi Karunanayake, today moved to correct what he described as misleading statements made by the Prime Minister in Parliament regarding the 2015 Treasury Bond issue.
A legal fight over whether an international broker can take part in Sri Lanka’s reinsurance procurement has taken a fresh turn after the Supreme Court cleared the path for the District Court to decide the matter independently.
Opposition political party leaders and representatives said that no government can face the current national crisis alone, calling for a collective national effort to rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. They made the remarks at a meeting held in Colombo, convened by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the United National Party headquarters on Malik Road. UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena said leaders or representatives from more than 35 registered political parties attended. The meeting began with several minutes of silence in memory of the Sri Lankans who died during the cyclone. Opposition leaders also levelled strong criticism…
A 40-year-old man travelling in a three-wheeler was injured in a shooting incident in the Boralugoda area in Kosgama this evening (03). He was rushed to the Avissawella Hospital for treatment.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched an investigation under emergency regulations after police identified 57 social media posts containing fake news, disinformation, rumours, and unverified updates that have circulated in recent days.
Opposition MP Harsha de Silva told Parliament today that the government already has substantial fiscal space to assist communities hit by Cyclone Ditwah, insisting there is “no excuse” for delays in relief and cleanup operations. He said the government currently has LKR 30 billion allocated for recurrent expenses and another LKR 20 billion that can be reallocated, providing a total of LKR 50 billion that can be deployed immediately for disaster response. De Silva also noted that early assessments indicate Sri Lanka’s total economic losses could reach USD 3 billion or more. A detailed evaluation is expected from the…
Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith today urged all Catholics in the Archdiocese and in Sri Lanka to make this year’s Christmas deeply spiritual through concern for the needy and those who have been affected by the recent disaster.
Only 478 kilometers of Sri Lanka’s 1,593-kilometer railway network are currently usable following extensive damage caused by the recent cyclone, Commissioner-General of Essential Services B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi said Wednesday in a detailed situation update. Chandrakeerthi said the cyclone had severely disrupted transport, agriculture, power supply and telecommunications across multiple districts. The Ministry of Health has directed hospitals to reschedule clinic visits, treatment sessions and medical examinations missed by patients in affected areas, with priority to be given once conditions improve. According to the statement, the Department of Agricultural Services has reported damage to 1,777 tanks, 483 dams, 1,936 canals and…
Some 38 fuel stations have been damaged due to the flood situation in the country, Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody said today.
A person has been hospitalised after being shot in the Boralugoda area of Kosgama, Police said. According to initial reports, the victim sustained injuries in the shooting incident that occurred earlier today. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police have launched an investigation to identify the gunman and determine the motive behind the attack. No arrests have been made so far. (Newswire) The post Shooting incident reported in Kosgama appeared first on Newswire.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will take strict disciplinary action against members of the Kandy Municipal Council who obstructed a volunteer-run relief centre operating inside the municipal premises. In a statement posted on X, Premadasa apologised to those affected by what he described as the “bad behaviour and unwarranted actions” of the councillors. He said the conduct of the members who objected to the activities of Soome and his team of volunteers was unacceptable, especially at a time when communities are depending on humanitarian support. The relief collection centre had been set up by volunteers to…
ECONOMYNEXT – Stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry say the island nation is ready to receive tourists as usual in the Winter season as Cyclone Ditwah-hit devastation has minimal damage on the tourism infrastructure. However, the Tourism authorities are yet to assess the full damage to hotels, though they have proposed some post-disaster beneficiary scheme including providing financial support to affected hoteliers. The disaster has killed more than 450 people while the rescue operation is continuing mainly in the central Sri Lankan districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, the two popular tourist destinations. “Hotels are fully operational. We do have…