Cyclone Ditwah wreaks havoc across Sri Lanka; 56 dead, dozens missing amid landslips, severe flooding

At least 56 persons have been reported dead in Sri Lanka — as of Friday (November 28, 2025) morning — amid incessant rains combined with strong winds, even as Cyclone Ditwah appears to proceed north and north-west, towards the coast of Tamil Nadu.

The island has been experiencing torrential downpour over the last couple of days, with several districts recording unprecedented levels of rainfall.

Cyclone Ditwah LIVE updates – November 28, 2025

According to the Department of Meteorology and the Disaster Management Centre, 20 out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts are badly hit, with over 12,000 families and 43,000 people directly affected amid an island-wide “red alert” issued by authorities.

Reports indicated that the impact of the extreme weather conditions is especially severe along the east coast — in Ampara, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee — as well as in the Central Province, home to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, both popular tourist destinations, and Matale, and Uva Province’s Badulla district.

Several areas remain heavily flooded, while roads remain inundated and inaccessible in the hill country — where some of Sri Lanka’s poorest communities, such as the Malaiyaha Tamil tea and rubber estate workers, reside.

Harrowing accounts of cars veering off roads and falling into waterways, families stuck on roads overnight, or climbing onto rooftops to survive the night amid rapidly rising stagnant water levels are being shared on social media, as authorities struggle to respond to what appears to be Sri Lanka’s worst rains in recent years. As rivers overflow and water levels in reservoirs increase, authorities have also issued flood warnings in the island’s southern districts.

Schools, offices closed

Schools have been ordered to remain closed, while authorities declared a holiday for government offices — barring essential services — on Friday.

Convening an emergency meeting with representatives from all parties on Thursday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged MPs from both the government and the opposition to visit their districts and help with relief distribution while urgently ensuring public safety.

Compensation of LKR 1 million (roughly ₹2.9 lakh) from the President’s Fund will be paid to the families of those who lost their lives.

Further, President Dissanayake directed tourism authorities to ensure essential services are available for foreign tourists affected by the severe weather. Aviation authorities said some flight schedules have been disrupted.