December 04, Colombo (LNW): Washington has announced a new emergency package worth roughly $2 million to help Sri Lankans struggling in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which tore across the island with devastating force.
The support is intended to bolster urgent humanitarian work, including medical assistance, safe shelter, and basic supplies for communities left reeling.
According to a statement from the US State Department, officials will draw on the Department of War’s long-range airlift resources to speed up the wider American relief effort—an unusual move underscoring the scale of the crisis.
Diplomatic staff and disaster specialists are said to be liaising closely with Sri Lankan authorities, local volunteers, and international charities to ensure that help reaches isolated and heavily damaged districts without delay.
US representatives have also emphasised that this latest emergency package is just one part of a broader commitment to assist Sri Lanka as it embarks on a lengthy process of rebuilding shattered homes, restoring essential services, and supporting affected families.
In offering sympathies to those who lost loved ones or livelihoods, Washington noted that the destruction left by Cyclone Ditwah has been “deeply saddening”, adding that the United States stands ready to support Sri Lanka through both immediate relief and longer-term recovery.
