Russia’s Putin arrives in India for summit talks with PM Modi

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi on Thursday, where he was received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport, beginning the Russian leader’s first visit to old friend India since the start of the war in Ukraine nearly four years back.

Adverse weather death toll rises to 481; 345 still missing

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that the death toll from the severe adverse weather conditions affecting the country has climbed to 481 as of 6.00 p.m. today (04).

Bangladesh tribunal issues arrest warrant for Hasina’s son over July Uprising charges

A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Sajib Wajed Joy, the expatriate son of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, just a month after sentencing his mother to death on charges of committing crimes against humanity.

Korea to provide $1.5m in humanitarian aid to flood-hit Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka

South Korea will provide a total of $1.5 million worth of humanitarian aid to Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka to support recovery efforts following deadly floods and landslides that struck the three countries, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Sri Lanka faces egg shortage after cyclone, Bakery Association warns

A potential countrywide egg shortage following the deaths of an estimated 3 million egg-laying hens due to the recent cyclone and floods affecting Sri Lanka.

Indian relief flight arrives with Bailey bridge units and engineering teams

A special Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying Bailey bridge components and specialist personnel landed in Sri Lanka this afternoon (04) to support ongoing disaster recovery efforts across the country.

Sri Lanka Cricket donates Rs. 300 million to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund’

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has donated Rs. 300 million to the government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund to aid ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah.

159 schools in Central Province damaged, 115 serving as displacement camps

A total of 159 schools in the Central Province have been damaged due to the recent disaster, Deputy Minister of Transport Prasanna Gunasena said.

Veteran actor Nihal Fernando passes away at 71

Veteran actor Nihal Fernando has passed away at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances in stage plays, films, and teledramas.

Kandy main road closed again due to rockfall risk

The section of the Kandy Main Road from Ganethenne to Kadugannawa Police Station has been closed again following a rockfall incident, the Kegalle District Secretary confirmed.

Give priority to international donor conference: SJB

The government should give priority to holding an international donor conference in order to obtain assistance from foreign countries to rebuild the nation, an Opposition MP said today.

Railway operations severely disrupted after natural disaster; 39 power sets stranded

The Railways Station Masters’ Association (SLSMA) has warned that 39 train power sets could not be brought to Colombo for operation due to the sudden natural disaster, significantly affecting the normal functioning of office trains.

Mannar district bans meat sale and slaughter for a week

The sale, storage, and slaughter of beef, goat, and pork have been banned in Mannar District for one week, starting from December 3, to prevent contaminated meat from entering the market, Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors’ Association Chairman Pradeep Boralessa said.

Guidelines issued on food support for people affected by ‘Ditwah’

The Ministry of Health has issued new guidelines outlining minimum standards for providing food and nutrition support to people affected by emergencies such as floods, landslides and mass displacement.

Port City Colombo deploys heavy machinery to Central Province

CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. has deployed its full fleet of disaster-response machinery to the Central Province within 24 hours of committing support, as Sri Lanka continues efforts to restore access and critical infrastructure following Cyclone Ditwah.

Station Masters’ Association urges Government to seek international support to rebuild railway network

The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Association (SLSMA) has called on the government to obtain public, private, and international support to restore the country’s railway network with safety and reliability.

Opposition claims to sue government over disaster absurd: SF

Former Member of Parliament Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said the opposition’s move to sue the government for failing to prevent the disaster is absurd and claimed that the situation would have been the same even if the previous rulers had been in power.

JICA donates essential relief supplies to Sri Lanka for cyclone-affected regions

A significant consignment of emergency relief items donated by the Government of Japan has been officially handed over to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ongoing response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Namal donates monthly salary and allowances to support children affected by disaster

MP Namal Rajapaksa has announced that he will donate his monthly salary and allowances to the “Adaraya” program, an initiative he launched to support thousands of children from families affected by recent floods and landslides.

President pays final respects to Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (04) visited the residence of the late Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya in Ratmalana to pay his final respects.

Over 1,000 houses completely damaged due to landslides: NHDA

Some 1,289 houses have been completely destroyed, while approximately 44,500 houses have sustained partial damage due to landslides and related impacts, the Housing Development Authority said.

Kala Wewa spill gates opened to manage rising water levels

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.

Over 260 tourists affected by Cyclone Ditwah

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) announced that 269 tourists were affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which impacted parts of the island recently.

How Sri Lanka can get one Billion Dollars in two months - Former Envoy Kananathan

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.

More than 300 flights cancelled as Indian airline faces ’staff shortage’

India’s biggest airline IndiGo faced a growing crisis, with more than 300 flights cancelled since Tuesday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.

Expressway toll waiver lifted

The Road Development Authority (RDA) has ended the temporary toll waiver that was in place during the recent adverse weather caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Obtain assistance of former heads of state to rebuild nation: UNP

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.

Public transport resumes as one lane reopens on Kandy-Mahiyanganaya road

Public transport services resumed today following the reopening of a single lane on the disaster-hit Kandy-Mahiyanganaya road.

Pakistan sends relief team and supplies to Sri Lanka

A Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying emergency relief supplies and a specialised search and rescue team arrived in Sri Lanka last evening (03), as part of a large-scale humanitarian operation launched by the Government of Pakistan in response to the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

South Korea developing app that shows real-time location of stalkers

South Korean authorities are developing a mobile app for stalking victims to track in real-time the location of their stalkers, if they’re nearby.