Cyclone Ditwah forces families to sell cattle, jewellery and vehicles to survive, UNDP survey finds

Survey finds 95% of Cyclone Ditwah-hit areas suffer infrastructure damage  

UNDP cautions that without sustained support, many households may remain trapped in asset depletion and subsistence living

A recent survey by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed that some victims devastated by Cyclone Ditwah are increasingly selling personal assets - cattle, jewellery, tools, and even vehicles and relying on subsistence activities to survive, underscoring the depth of the socioeconomic crisis left in the storm’s wake.   

The assessment, covering 85 Divisional Secretariat divisions across 22 districts, found that 95 percent of cyclone-affected areas suffered damage to residential, industrial, or community infrastructure. While reconstruction has begun, UNDP warns that recovery remains slow and uneven.  

According to the survey, at least 93 percent of respondents reported severe impacts on income, livelihoods, and earning opportunities. With crops destroyed and workplaces damaged, many families said they were forced to sell cattle, jewellery, tools, and even vehicles to meet basic needs.   

Others reported turning to subsistence activities such as small-scale farming, fishing, animal rearing, and gathering wild food for household consumption, reflecting a shift from cash-based livelihoods to survival strategies.  

Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on November 28, 2025 along Sri Lanka’s Eastern coast, triggering intense rainfall, widespread flooding, and landslides. UNDP estimates indicate that flooding affected approximately 1.1 million hectares, nearly 20 percent of the country’s total land area, with around 2.3 million people directly exposed to floodwaters.   

The worst flooding was recorded in the Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat in Polonnaruwa, where more than 23,000 hectares were submerged. Severe flooding was also reported in Kandavalai (Kilinochchi), Maritimepattu (Mullaitivu), Welikanda, and Medirigiriya.   

In terms of coping mechanisms, most affected households said they depended primarily on government assistance, followed by support from non-governmental and international organizations. However, borrowing from relatives and neighbours and taking loans from banks or credit institutions were also common.   

The impact on businesses has been particularly severe, with 91 percent reporting disruptions. 

The crop farming sector was the hardest hit, followed by livestock farming and manufacturing, and about one-third of respondents said both formal and informal businesses had been severely affected or forced to close.   

Despite the hardship, the survey noted emerging livelihood shifts linked to recovery efforts, including self-employment and informal work. However, UNDP cautions that without sustained support, many households may remain trapped in asset depletion and subsistence living, increasing their vulnerability to future shocks.