Two spill gates of the Kala Wewa have been opened by four feet each as of 9:00 a.m. today (04) in response to rising water levels, the Department of Irrigation said.
The Sri Lankan Report
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) announced that 269 tourists were affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which impacted parts of the island recently.
As Sri Lanka navigates one of the most difficult chapters in its recent history, diplomats and development strategists are re-evaluating how the nation can accelerate recovery.
India’s biggest airline IndiGo faced a growing crisis, with more than 300 flights cancelled since Tuesday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.
The Road Development Authority (RDA) has ended the temporary toll waiver that was in place during the recent adverse weather caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The Government should seek the assistance of former heads of state to rebuild Sri Lanka following the recent disaster which has caused unimaginable damage, the United National Party (UNP) said.
Sri Lanka’s death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 481, with 345 people still reported missing, according to updated figures released by authorities today. Officials said search operations are ongoing across several districts hit by severe flooding and landslides, but hope of finding many of the missing alive is rapidly fading as days pass and water levels recede, revealing extensive destruction. Disaster response teams continue to recover bodies in areas that were cut off for days, while families in temporary shelters are still awaiting news of loved ones swept away during the disaster. Authorities say more formal identification processes…
The Sri Lanka Telecom–MOBITEL (SLT-MOBITEL) has issued a public advisory regarding fibre and copper cables that have fallen to the ground in certain areas affected by recent disasters. According to the company, although these cables may appear damaged or inactive, they remain fully operational. As such, SLT-MOBITEL has urged the public not to remove, cut, or tamper with them under any circumstances. The advisory emphasizes that interference with these cables could disrupt essential communication services at a time when connectivity is critical for relief and recovery operations. SLT-MOBITEL has therefore requested the cooperation of all residents in affected areas to…
ECONOMYNEXT – India has airlifted a Bailey Bridge system to replace a destroyed bridge and restore connectivity as Sri Lanka recovers from the effects of Cyclone Ditwah. The bridge was brought to Colombo in an Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster miliary transport, along with engineers to assemble it, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. The system and can be installed within a few hours to replace damaged bridges, significantly strengthening relief access and mobility for emergency services, in landslide and flood-hit areas, the statement said. Cyclone Ditwah had damaged 15 bridges across larger highways of the island, the Road…
UNP Deputy General Secretary Harin Fernando has warned of potential health risks if meat and eggs from livestock killed in the recent cyclone enter the market, urging the government to implement a plan to prevent a public health crisis. “As I’m aware, some 400,000 chickens have been killed due to the disaster,” Fernando said during a media briefing, raising concerns about disease outbreaks and calling for immediate government intervention. He also highlighted the economic impact of the cyclone, noting that a large stock of tea intended for auction was destroyed in Kolonnawa, affecting exports. Fernando called on the government to…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid his final respect to the late Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya, who died while engaging in providing relief to disaster-affected communities. Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya died in the helicopter crash that occurred in Lunuwila, Wennappuwa, recently. The President visited the residence in Ratmalana today, where the remains of Group Captain Siyambalapitiya have been placed, and paid his final respects. He also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the pilot’s wife, parents, brothers and sisters, as well as the rest of the family. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath…
Photo courtesy of floodsupport.org For people across South and South East Asia, the convergence of two cyclones and a typhoon over the past few weeks has dominated the news. As the storms and their associated flooding tore through community after community in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, the cost of the disaster has continued to rise exponentially. However, outside the region, it has taken a long time for Western media outlets to begin their reporting. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in Sri Lanka. As Cyclone Ditwah was making landfall in Sri Lanka on November 28, if…
Sri Lanka Tourism has announced the reopening of several tourist attractions, reporting the country’s return to normalcy following Cyclone Ditwah. Issuing a statement, Sri Lanka Tourism said utilities, transport networks, and essential services have largely been restored. Tourism attractions, accommodations, and supporting infrastructure are reopening, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s readiness to welcome international visitors. Several wildlife sites, national parks, marine tourism, forest sites, and cultural sites have reopened, as of now. Tourism zones across the country, such as Negombo, Kalutara, Passikudah, Hikkaduwa, Bentota/Beruwala, Ella, and Arugam Bay, are experiencing favourable weather conditions. Ella is accessible via the Wellawaya route, while road…
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) states that a total of 269 tourists were affected due to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. Issuing a statement, the SLTDA said that the largest affected groups include 52 Indians and 40 Bulgarians. The SLTDA said that the tourists are being located and confirmed safe. Reaffirming its commitment to ensuring visitor safety, the SLTDA added that with attractions open, services restored, and international arrivals resuming, Sri Lanka is ready to continue its journey towards recovery and growth. (Newswire) The post SLTDA confirms 269 tourists affected by Cyclone Ditwah, assures safety…
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has extended the landslide warning issued to the Kandy, Kegalle, Matale, and Kurunegala Districts. The red alert landslide warning is effective for 40 District Secretariat Divisions in the four districts. Senior Scientist at the NBRO, Dr. Wasantha Senadeera, said, according to the Met Department, rainy conditions are expected from 06 -09 December, mostly affecting the Southern Province. Addressing the media, he said that it is predicted that rainy conditions will continue from 09-13 December, affecting the Central Province, mostly Matale, Badulla, and Nuwara Eliya districts. He said, even though the rainy conditions are…
A delegation from the International Department of the Communist Party of China visited the main headquarters of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in Pelawatta, Battaramulla, yesterday (03) as part of an observation tour. The delegation included Deputy Director General of the Information Centre of the International Department of the CPC, Kang Shuai, Associate Professor Jiang Wen of the Beijing Municipal Party School, and Director Zhang Guifeng of the CPC Information Research Centre, among others. The group first visited the Colombo District Office of the JVP in Maharagama, where they held extensive discussions on the current natural disaster situation in Sri…
SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has called for a Parliamentary Select Committee to be appointed to investigate the lapse in response to the crisis caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Addressing the Parliament yesterday, MP Rajapaksa said that some officials are accusing the government for the crisis, while the government was blaming officials. “Unlike the committee appointed to look into the container incident, which was to cover up issues, a committee that can honestly investigate where things went wrong should be appointed for this crisis,” he said. MP Rajapaksa urged the government to study the preparations under the administration of former President Gotabaya…
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has paid tribute to 41-year-old Anuruddha Kumara, a line technician who lost his life on Wednesday while restoring power in the Kurunegala area. Kumara, who began his career in 2007 as a temporary linesman in Dambulla, became a permanent employee of the CEB in 2017 after serving for a decade. He was later transferred to the Ukuwela substation and most recently served at the Hettipola Power Station. According to the CEB, he had been performing his duties as a line technician with distinction since his appointment. He sustained critical injuries at around 12.45 pm yesterday…
A Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying relief cargo and an elite search and rescue team arrived in Sri Lanka last evening (03), following a major relief mobilisation announced by the Government of Pakistan in response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. The consignment was formally received by Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku and handed over by the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Colombo. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan, a 47-member specialised Pakistan Army search and rescue unit, along with 6.5 tonnes of essential equipment, was dispatched earlier in the day…
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…