Sri Lanka issues fresh landslide warnings as cyclone death toll rises to 618
Sri Lanka issues new landslide warnings as heavy rains hit cyclone-stricken regions, with the death toll rising to 618.
- The death toll from Cyclone Dithwa in Sri Lanka has risen to 618, with an additional 209 people still missing.
- Authorities have issued new landslide warnings for central and north-western regions as ongoing heavy monsoon rains continue to affect the area.
- The cyclone, the most severe to hit the country in a century, has affected over two million people and caused widespread flooding and landslides.
- The majority of the confirmed deaths (464) occurred in the central tea-growing region, which is now under renewed landslide alerts.
Sri Lanka has issued new landslide alerts as heavy rains continue to strike regions already devastated by Cyclone Dithwa, the most severe storm to hit the country in a century.
Cyclone Dithwa unleashed widespread flooding and landslides, affecting more than two million residents — nearly 10% of the population. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned that renewed monsoon rains would increase landslide risks across the central highlands and interior areas of the north-west.
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have been deployed to deliver supplies to communities cut off by landslides in the central region. The Sri Lankan Air Force said it had also received a shipment of relief items from Myanmar, marking the latest round of international assistance.
Authorities confirmed on Sunday (December 7) that the death toll has climbed to 618, with a further 209 people still missing.
Of those confirmed dead, 464 were from the central tea-growing region. The number of evacuees in shelters has fallen to 100,000, down from a peak of 225,000, as water levels recede nationwide. More than 75,000 homes have been damaged, with nearly 5,000 completely destroyed.
On December 5, the government announced compensation measures to support home repairs and revive businesses that had only recently begun to recover from the 2022 economic crisis. A senior official earlier estimated that reconstruction costs could reach US$7 billion.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on the same day that it was considering Sri Lanka’s request for an additional US$200 million to aid recovery. This would supplement the US$347 million scheduled for disbursement in December as part of the four-year US$2.9 billion loan package approved in 2023.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament on December 5 that although the economy had strengthened, it was not yet robust enough to withstand the scale of the disaster on its own.
The Finance Ministry announced that survivors would receive up to 10 million rupees to purchase land in safer locations for rebuilding, while families of the deceased or those permanently disabled would receive one million rupees each.
The government did not disclose the total value of the support package, heightening concerns over the country’s financial position. The Central Bank has directed public and private banks to restructure loans for affected households and businesses.
