Cyclone Ditwah leaves 240,000-ton debris across Sri Lanka - UNDP

• The cyclone directly exposed more than 2.3 million people to floods
• Triggered over 1,200 landslides and inundated 1.1 million hectares  
• Nearly 720,000 buildings, 16,000 kilometres of roads, 480 bridges affected  
• Priority support will focus on the hardest-hit districts of Puttalam, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Ampara, Badulla, and Nuwara Eliya 

By Sunil Jayasiri

Debris clearance has become an urgent national priority in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, with more than 240,000 tons of waste and wreckage spread across Sri Lanka, particularly in Colombo, Badulla, and Puttalam, according to a new assessment.  

Titled “Mapping the Initial Impact of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka,” the report was compiled by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).   

Accordingly, the cyclone, which made landfall on 28 November, directly affected over 2.3 million people, triggering more than 1,200 landslides nationwide. Satellite analysis shows that floodwaters inundated 1.1 million hectares, nearly 20 percent of the country’s landmass, with the worst-hit areas including Dimbulagala (Polonnaruwa), Kandavalai (Kilinochchi), Maritimepattu (Mullaitivu), Welikanda, and Medirigiriya.  

Urban centres were also heavily impacted, with Kolonnawa DS Division recording the highest number of residents affected at over 150,000, followed by Colombo, Kaduwela, Wattala, and Katana. The report also warns that more than half of the people living in these flooded areas were already facing socioeconomic vulnerabilities, such as unstable incomes, debt, and limited access to essential services, which now make recovery even more challenging.  

Infrastructure damage is widespread. Nearly 720,000 buildings, including 243 hospitals, have been exposed to the disaster, while about 16,000 km of roads, 480 bridges, and 278 km of railway lines have also been affected. Agriculture has suffered heavily, with over 530,000 hectares of paddy lands flooded, raising concerns about food security, especially as up to 30 percent of households in affected areas lack enough dry food supplies to last a week.  

The UNDP stresses the need for immediate action, including clearing debris, restoring critical infrastructure, supporting livelihoods for farmers and small businesses, and replacing lost civil and financial documents. Priority support will focus on the hardest-hit districts of Puttalam, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Ampara, Badulla, and Nuwara Eliya to prevent the situation from turning into a prolonged humanitarian and economic crisis.