Bishop of Kandy Diocese Rt. Rev. Dr. Valence Mendis delivered a powerful message of solidarity and compassion at “Sounds of the Season,” an evening of harmony and reflection organised by Union Bank together with Port City and the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), in support of communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah.

He said: “When the Organising Committee first met, there was serious debate about cancelling the event in light of the recent tragedy. After thoughtful reflection, the decision was unanimous: the right path forward was not to step back, but to step up. The concert was therefore transformed into a purposeful gathering of remembrance and compassion. The evening focused not on celebration, but on honouring those who lost their lives, supporting those who were injured, and standing in solidarity with children who have lost their parents and now face an uncertain future.”

He concluded by thanking those present for standing with the children and families affected by Cyclone Ditwah and for helping restore hope where it is needed most. The Soul Sounds Academy choirs, the Union Bank choir, and guest performers Alston Koch and the De Lanerolle Brothers created an atmosphere of hope and solidarity throughout the evening.

Source: DailyFT

December 09, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka received advance notice of Cyclone Ditwah long before it unleashed severe destruction across the island, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said to have begun sharing data nearly two weeks ahead of the storm’s landfall, Indian media reports claim.

According to The Indian Express, the IMD had identified the likelihood of a developing weather system as early as November 13 and later issued an advisory on potential cyclonic activity on November 20.

From November 23 onwards, the department reportedly released detailed three-hourly and six-hourly updates on the system’s strengthening trajectory, much of which was passed to Sri Lankan officials through regular communication channels.

Despite the early flow of information, Sri Lanka was unable to respond on a scale that matched the magnitude of the disaster, the report suggested. It noted that the country lacks a comprehensive evacuation framework capable of moving vast populations with little notice.

The heavy rainfall — reaching around 400 millimetres within a day and repeating over several days — coupled with the geography of the eastern coast, produced catastrophic flooding, landslides, and coastal surge.

The analysis also pointed out that the storm formed in an uncommon zone south of Sri Lanka, an area not typically associated with cyclone development. Unlike India, which experiences such systems more frequently, Sri Lanka’s limited exposure meant it was less equipped for the storm’s prolonged coastal path, which skirted the shoreline rather than cutting across the island’s interior.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra explained that Ditwah was categorised only as a “cyclonic storm,” one of the milder grades on the cyclone scale, and that Sri Lanka historically experiences very few such events.

Sri Lanka’s Health Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa, however, dismissed accusations that authorities had prior knowledge of the cyclone’s intensity. His comments followed criticism by the opposition over the timing of reservoir gate operations, with some alleging that delayed action worsened the flooding.

December 09, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Education is preparing to release a fresh circular today outlining how state schools affected by the recent spell of extreme weather will resume academic activities.

According to the Ministry’s Secretary, Nalaka Kaluwewa, the reopening process will be organised province by province to account for differing levels of disruption and to allow regional officials the flexibility to address local needs.

He noted that the current plan is to have schools back in operation from December 16, provided that safety assessments and essential repairs are completed in time.

Kaluwewa added that education officials have been working closely with provincial administrations over the past few days to ensure that school premises are cleared, facilities restored, and transport arrangements adjusted where necessary.

In a separate announcement, Commissioner General of Examinations Indika Liyanage confirmed that the postponed components of the GCE Advanced Level Examination will be held as early as possible in January.

He stated that the Department of Examinations intends to finalise the schedule shortly, giving candidates adequate notice while ensuring examination centres are fully prepared following the adverse weather.

December 09, Colombo (LNW): The national disaster management committee appointed by the President is set to reconvene tomorrow (10) for the second day running, as authorities work to streamline the flow of international assistance reaching those hit hardest by the recent catastrophe.

The eight-member body, led by Deputy Defence Minister and retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara, has been tasked with overseeing how foreign aid is received, organised, and distributed. Officials say the committee’s mandate is to ensure transparency, efficiency, and proper oversight as donations continue to arrive from abroad.

Deputy Minister Jayasekara noted that both the public and diplomatic representatives will soon be briefed on the formal procedures for channelling relief items. He stressed that the Ministry of Defence would provide guidance throughout the process to avoid irregularities and ensure that supplies reach those in genuine need without unnecessary delays or waste.

The committee is working closely with the Disaster Management Centre and the National Disaster Relief Services Centre, with both agencies feeding in operational support and field-level information. According to Jayasekara, distribution will proceed strictly on the basis of verified requests from Divisional and District Secretariats, as well as reports submitted by Grama Niladhari Officers in affected communities.

Authorities say the renewed meeting is intended to fine-tune coordination mechanisms as the scale of assistance grows, ensuring that relief efforts remain orderly, accountable, and responsive to local realities.

December 09, Colombo (LNW): A new assessment by the United Nations Development Programme has painted a stark picture of the havoc Cyclone Ditwah unleashed across Sri Lanka, indicating that millions of people were caught within the cyclone’s flood zone and vast swathes of the island were submerged.

According to the geospatial review, roughly 2.3 million residents — a majority of them women — were living in areas inundated when the cyclone made landfall on November 28. Analysts estimate that more than 1.1 million hectares, close to a fifth of the country’s total landmass, were affected by floodwaters that damaged homes, disrupted public services, and battered key infrastructure.

Officials noted that the findings, based partly on disaster-response data provided by the Sri Lankan authorities, confirm what many communities have already experienced first-hand: Ditwah ranks among the most severe flooding events to strike the island in decades.

Alarmingly, more than half of those residing in the affected regions were already dealing with economic instability, debt burdens, or limited means to withstand natural disasters — conditions that can turn a climate shock into a prolonged crisis.

The UNDP report also highlights that nearly 720,000 buildings were touched by the floodwaters — approximately one in every twelve structures nationwide. Over 16,000 kilometres of roads, along with several hundred railway lines and bridges, were situated in areas swamped by the deluge, significantly hampering travel and relief logistics. In the hill country, close to 1,200 landslides were triggered, further isolating vulnerable communities and delaying access to medical care and rescue teams.

Azusa Kubota, the UNDP’s Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, emphasised that the cyclone struck a nation still recovering from years of economic strain. The exposed population includes more than a million women, over half a million children, and a quarter of a million older people, with the districts of Colombo and Gampaha carrying a disproportionate share of the impact. Such concentration of need, Kubota warned, has placed extraordinary pressure on essential public services.

Where high vulnerability and severe flooding intersect, recovery is expected to be particularly challenging. Devanand Ramiah, who leads crisis readiness and response at the UNDP’s Crisis Bureau, described the event as a demonstration of how quickly cascading crises can unfold in fragile settings.

Working alongside government agencies, the UNDP is urging donors and international partners to scale up early recovery assistance. This includes restoring damaged infrastructure, helping affected families regain stability, and strengthening local systems to withstand future climate-related shocks. Kubota noted that Sri Lanka, already burdened by debt, cannot finance reconstruction alone and requires accessible funding mechanisms to rebuild sustainably and avoid further economic distress.

The organisation stressed that while immediate relief is under way, the broader effort to rebuild more resiliently will be a long-term undertaking, requiring both domestic commitment and sustained external support.

Full Report: https://geosmart.undp.org/arcgis/apps/storymaps/stories/25866fbc805c4d70b6bf35c23f896daf

December 09, Colombo (LNW): India has dispatched a further contingent of naval vessels to bolster relief operations in Sri Lanka, which continues to grapple with the aftermath of the destructive cyclone.

The latest phase of the ongoing Operation Sagar Bandhu is focused on expanding search-and-rescue efforts and ensuring rapid delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.

The newest deployment comprises the amphibious ship INS Gharial along with three Landing Craft Utility vessels — LCU 54, LCU 51, and LCU 57. Collectively, they are transporting close to a thousand tonnes of essential supplies, including food stocks, medical items, temporary shelter materials, and other urgently needed provisions.

Indian reports indicate that the LCUs have already arrived in Colombo, where relief cargo was formally handed over to Sri Lankan officials.

INS Gharial, carrying additional equipment and personnel, is due to call at Trincomalee later today as part of a continued push to reach coastal districts still struggling to regain basic services.

These ships follow an earlier group — INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, and INS Sukanya — which delivered immediate assistance in the cyclone’s immediate aftermath, including helicopter sorties to locate stranded individuals and survey damage along the shoreline.

According to India’s Defence Ministry, the expanded mission underscores the longstanding partnership between the two neighbours and reflects New Delhi’s determination to respond swiftly when regional states face humanitarian emergencies. The ministry noted that the Indian Navy remains on standby to provide further support should Sri Lanka request it.

December 09, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Registrar General’s Department has confirmed that new legal arrangements are now in force to allow the formal registration of deaths of those who perished or disappeared during the landslides and flooding triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.

In a public notice, the department explained that families and close associates of individuals still unaccounted for may now apply to have their loved ones officially recognised as deceased, ensuring they are not left in administrative limbo while dealing with the aftermath of the disaster.

These temporary regulations, issued through an Extraordinary Gazette on December 02, outline a streamlined procedure for communities in districts affected by the cyclone. To begin the process, an applicant must submit the designated form together with an affidavit verifying the circumstances, and hand both documents to the Grama Niladhari of the missing person’s last known place of residence.

The Grama Niladhari is then required to pass the file to the Divisional Secretary, who will display the application publicly at both the Divisional Secretariat and the local Grama Niladhari office for a two-week period. If no objections are raised, the case is forwarded to the Deputy or Assistant Registrar General for final approval. However, should concerns or objections arise, an inquiry will be launched before any decision is reached.

The department added that requests for certificates of absence—used when a formal death registration is not immediately possible—will follow the same procedure, with Divisional Secretaries instructed to conduct thorough checks before issuing documentation.

Meanwhile, the Department of National Archives reported significant damage to official records following the widespread flooding. Director General Dr Nadeera Rupasinghe noted that the Kandy District had suffered particularly heavy losses, with many historical and administrative documents now requiring urgent restoration or preservation work.