Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency as Cyclone Ditwah Death Toll Reaches 132 with 176 Missing

Officials reported approximately one-third of Sri Lanka currently lacks electricity and running water supplies.

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Saturday and called for international aid as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah-induced floods and heavy rainfall reached 132, with an additional 176 individuals reported missing.

The severe weather system has demolished over 15,000 homes, forcing 78,000 residents to seek refuge in government-operated temporary shelters, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake enacted emergency legislation, granting himself extensive powers to address the devastation following a week of continuous torrential rainfall across the island nation.

"We have confirmed 132 fatalities and another 176 missing persons," stated DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda, noting that relief operations had been strengthened through the deployment of army, navy, and air force personnel.

Military forces rescued 69 bus passengers on Saturday, including a German tourist, who were stranded in the Anuradhapura district after a 24-hour operation utilizing helicopters and naval vessels.

One passenger, speaking to journalists at a local hospital, described how navy personnel helped them climb onto a nearby home's roof after using ropes to assist them safely navigate through floodwaters.

"We were extremely fortunate... while on the roof, a section collapsed... three women fell into the water but were helped back onto the rooftop," Shantha recounted.

A helicopter was forced to abandon an initial rescue attempt as rotor downdraft threatened to collapse the roof they occupied.

They were subsequently rescued by naval watercraft.

Roads in the central Badulla district remain inaccessible, leaving numerous villages isolated and preventing relief supplies from reaching affected populations.

"We lost two villagers... others are taking shelter at a temple and in a house that remains standing," said Saman Kumara from Maspanna village in Badulla, among the worst-affected districts.

"We cannot leave the village and no one can enter because all roads are blocked by landslides. Food is unavailable and clean water is scarce," he told media website News Center via telephone.

Officials indicated approximately one-third of the country lacks electricity and running water as power infrastructure has collapsed and water purification facilities are submerged. Internet connectivity has also been disrupted across many regions.

Cyclone Ditwah moved away from the island Saturday and headed toward neighboring India to the north.

India's Chennai Airport has canceled 54 flights due to the cyclone's approach, with meteorological departments forecasting extremely heavy rainfall and powerful winds over the next 48 hours.

New landslides struck the central district of Kandy, 115 kilometers (71 miles) east of Colombo, with the primary access road submerged at multiple locations.

The government has issued appeals for international assistance and requested monetary donations from Sri Lankans abroad to support affected communities.

Officials reported that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with Colombo-based diplomats to update them on the situation and request assistance from their governments.

India responded immediately, dispatching two planeloads of relief supplies, while an Indian warship already in Colombo for a previously scheduled goodwill visit donated its provisions to assist victims.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences regarding the loss of lives in Sri Lanka and affirmed that New Delhi stands ready to provide additional aid.

Flooding in low-elevation areas worsened Saturday, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for residents along the banks of the Kelani river, which flows from Colombo into the Indian Ocean.

Rainfall has diminished across most of the country, including the capital, but the northern regions continue experiencing showers due to Cyclone Ditwah's residual effects.

This cyclone represents Sri Lanka's deadliest natural disaster since 2017, when flooding and landslides killed over 200 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

The most severe flooding Sri Lanka has experienced since 2000 occurred in June 2003, when 254 individuals perished.