Saturday 06 / December / 2025
Colombo: Landslide warnings were still being issued in Sri Lanka in the wake of last week's Cyclone Ditwah, with the death toll from the floods jumping to 607.
Some 214 people remained missing, the Disaster Management Center said. Many of those previously unaccounted for were now presumed dead.
The floods damaged over 5,000 houses, destroying thousands of acres of land.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO), which monitors the stability of mountain slopes, continued to issue warnings on Friday.
"Since rainfall within the past 24 hours has exceeded 150 millimetres, if the rains continue, evacuate to a safe location to avoid the risk of landslides," the NBRO said.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the cyclone and its aftermath as the island nation's most challenging national disaster.
How has Sri Lanka addressed the disaster?
Sri Lanka's military deployed thousands of troops to assist with clearing the aftermath of the floods. Reconstruction costs were estimated to stand between $6 billion (roughly €5.15 billion) and $7 billion.
The government has sought donations to repair the damage, but President Dissanayake still pledged generous compensation to help the victims rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
The floods also devastated other countries in the region, killing over 1,500 people.
Nearly 900 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia and 185 more were believed to have died in Thailand, whereas in Malaysia, three deaths were confirmed.
Sri Lanka seeks IMF support
Dissanayake said he has asked the International Monetary Fund to delay the release of the sixth installment of a $2.9 billion bailout loan, to be able to negotiate a bigger payout.
"The IMF board was to sign off on releasing $347 million on December 15, but we have now asked them to put it off because we want time to negotiate a bigger instalment," the French AFP news agency quoted the president as saying.
The IMF confirmed that Sri Lanka had requested some $200 in financial assistance to address the damage and destruction caused by the cyclone. It added that the request was "currently under consideration and subject to approval" by the board.
"The IMF remains closely engaged with Sri Lankan authorities during this challenging period; and is committed to supporting the country as it undertakes urgent efforts to recover, rebuild and promote resilience for the future,” Evan Papageorgiou, IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, said in a statement.
