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Sri Lanka floods kill 193 as cyclone aftermath deepens crisis
At least 193 people have died in Sri Lanka following catastrophic floods and mudslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, marking one of the country's worst weather disasters in years, the Disaster Management Centre reported Sunday. Over 200 remain missing, while more than 20,000 homes have been destroyed, displacing 108,000 survivors into state-run shelters.
Widespread devastation and infrastructure collapse
A third of the country remains without electricity or running water, officials confirmed, as the government declared a state of emergency. Rising water levels in the Kelani River have prompted evacuation orders in high-risk zones, with the districts of Kandy and Badulla reporting the highest fatalities. Many areas stay isolated due to blocked roads and landslides.
In Badulla's Maspanna village, resident Saman Kumara described the dire conditions to News Center by phone: "We lost two people here. The rest are sheltering in a temple and one house still standing. No one can enter or leave-the roads are gone. Food is scarce, and clean water is running out."
Rescues and tragic losses
Among the victims were 11 elderly residents of a flooded care home in Kurunegala, police said. In Anuradhapura, 69 passengers were rescued from a submerged bus after a 24-hour operation. Survivor WM Shantha recounted the ordeal to AFP: "The navy helped us onto a building's roof. Part of it collapsed-three women fell into the water but were pulled back up. We were lucky."
Government appeals for global aid
Authorities have urged international assistance and called on Sri Lankans abroad to donate funds for relief efforts. Cyclone Ditwah struck the eastern coast Friday before moving away, but its remnants have exacerbated monsoon rains, which rarely reach such extreme levels in the island nation.
The current disaster echoes Sri Lanka's deadliest floods this century-June 2003's deluge, which killed 254 and displaced hundreds of thousands. The crisis coincides with severe flooding across Southeast Asia, where millions face impacts in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
