Sri Lanka Launches Comprehensive Cyclone Relief Plan Amid Ongoing Heavy Rains

Sri Lanka Announces Massive Cyclone Relief and Compensation Plan as Floods and Landslides Threaten Again

Disaster-hit Sri Lanka has launched a major cyclone relief and compensation package to rebuild homes destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah, even as the island braces for more heavy rains, floods, and landslides.

The government confirmed 607 deaths and 214 people missing, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in Sri Lanka’s history, according to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who called it the nation’s most challenging crisis yet.

Over two million people — nearly 10% of the population — have been affected by the cyclone and subsequent flooding.

To support recovery, the Finance Ministry announced that survivors will receive up to 10 million rupees ($33,000) to purchase land in safer areas and rebuild their homes. Families of victims will also receive 1 million rupees in compensation for each person killed or permanently disabled.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported that more than 71,000 homes were damaged, including nearly 5,000 completely destroyed. Around 150,000 people remain in state-run shelters, down from a peak of 225,000 displaced residents.

In a show of international support, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it is considering Sri Lanka’s request for an additional $200 million, supplementing the $347 million already scheduled for release this month. The IMF reaffirmed its commitment to helping Sri Lanka recover, rebuild, and strengthen resilience amid the ongoing crisis.

Cyclone Ditwah struck as Sri Lanka was emerging from its worst economic crisis in decades, following a $2.9 billion IMF bailout agreed in early 2023. President Dissanayake told parliament that while the economy has shown signs of recovery, it remains too fragile to withstand such a massive disaster without global assistance.

Meanwhile, the DMC has warned of continued rainfall across several regions, especially in the central highlands, raising fears of new landslides and further flooding. Cleanup operations have been slowed by the persistent bad weather.