Sri Lanka is experiencing one of its most severe flood disasters in two decades, with close to one million individuals affected and at least 334 reported fatalities due to the significant impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Currently, around 370 people remain missing as Indian forces have joined search and rescue operations.
Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on November 28, subsequently moving back over the Bay of Bengal and triggering some of the worst flooding in Sri Lanka since the early 2000s. It weakened into a deep depression after making landfall in Tamil Nadu on November 29, resulting in at least four deaths in that region and flooding approximately 56,000 hectares of paddy fields in the delta districts.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 998,918 people across all 25 districts in Sri Lanka have been impacted. Over 180,000 individuals from more than 51,000 families are currently sheltering in 1,094 government-run safety centers as the search and rescue efforts continue.
In response to the crisis, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support relief efforts. The Indian Air Force (IAF) rapidly deployed one C-130 and one IL-76 transport aircraft from Hindan Air Base on the night of November 28-29, delivering 21 tonnes of relief supplies alongside over 80 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 8 tonnes of equipment to Colombo. IAF officials announced that essential rations and critical supplies have been sent to assist affected communities.
The districts most severely impacted include Gampaha, Colombo, Puttalam, Mannar, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa. Landslides in the central hill country have led to significant destruction in Kandy, Badulla, and Matale.
Initial assessments indicate that more than 15,000 homes have been destroyed, with over 200 roads remaining impassable. At least 10 bridges have sustained damage, and several sections of the rail network and national power grid have been affected, as reported by the UN.
Flooding along the Kelani River, which flows through Colombo and surrounding low-lying areas, continues to obstruct access and disrupt the flow of information from affected areas, complicating ongoing rescue and relief operations. There are also severe disruptions to electricity, mobile communications, and transportation networks reported in northern districts like Jaffna, leaving entire villages isolated. Access to clean water has become a critical concern, with many areas reporting little to no supply.
In addition to the crisis in Sri Lanka, severe monsoon flooding is affecting southern Thailand and Malaysia, displacing nearly 25,000 people in Malaysia and impacting over two million individuals in southern Thailand. Evacuations have occurred in several affected provinces in Thailand, though rainfall is expected to lessen in the coming days.
In Indonesia, media reports indicate at least 440 deaths from flooding and landslides, with more than 400 individuals reported missing, particularly in parts of Sumatra, where thousands are stranded without food and water access.
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