Sri Lanka’s Capital Submerged as Cyclone Ditwah Leaves Nearly 200 Dead and Worsens Conditions in Central Province

Himasha Dissanayake, JadeTimes Staff

H. Dissanayake is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Souce: The Independent

Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, has been left severely flooded after Cyclone Ditwah triggered days of relentless rain, deadly mudslides and widespread destruction across the island. With the death toll rising to at least 193 and 228 people still missing, authorities warn that the cou

ntry is facing its deadliest natural disaster in years.

Entire neighbourhoods in northern Colombo remain underwater as the Kelani River continues to overflow. Disaster Management Centre (DMC) officials said that although the cyclone has passed, heavy upstream rainfall is pushing new floodwaters into low-lying communities. Thousands of residents, including those in Wennawatte, were forced to evacuate as homes filled with water, leaving families unsure of where to seek shelter.

Further north-east, in Manampitiya, floodwaters have begun to recede—revealing extensive damage to businesses, property and transport routes. Local residents described scenes unlike anything they had witnessed before, with overturned vehicles and debris scattered across the town.

Source: Sunday Island

Sri Lanka’s central province has also suffered significant devastation, as continuous rainfall destabilised mountain slopes already vulnerable to erosion. The National Building Research Organisation warned that saturated hillsides pose a high risk of additional landslides, particularly in the central highlands where rescue teams are still clearing blocked roads and searching for missing families.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance. India responded first, dispatching relief supplies and rescue helicopters, while Pakistan and Japan committed additional support and assessment teams.

According to official data, the extreme weather has destroyed more than 25,000 homes, pushed 147,000 people into state-run shelters and left nearly one million people in need of humanitarian aid. Troops from all three armed forces, along with volunteers, are conducting ongoing evacuation, medical and relief operations.

Experts warn that shifting climate patterns are intensifying storms and prolonging rainfall, increasing the frequency of flash floods and destructive landslides. Cyclone Ditwah now stands as the island’s deadliest disaster since the 2017 floods and landslides, and one of the worst since the catastrophic floods of 2003.