Sri Lanka issues fresh landslide warnings as Cyclone Ditwah’s death toll reaches 618, with over two million people affected and a major reconstruction effort underway.
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities issued fresh landslide warnings on Sunday as heavy rains continued to lash areas devastated by a powerful cyclone.
The death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 618, with 209 people still missing, according to government figures.
More than two million people, nearly 10% of the population, have been affected by the floods and landslides.
The Disaster Management Centre warned that monsoon storms were making hillsides unstable in the central mountainous region and north-western midlands.
Helicopters and planes were deployed to supply communities cut off by landslides in the centre of the country.
The number of people in state-run refugee camps had dropped to 100,000 from a peak of 225,000 as floodwaters receded.
More than 75,000 homes were damaged, including close to 5,000 that were completely destroyed.
The government on Friday unveiled a major compensation package to rebuild homes and revive businesses.
Survivors will be offered up to 10 million rupees (USD 33,000) to buy land in a safer location and build a new house.
One million rupees is being offered in compensation for each person killed or left permanently disabled.
The government did not specify the total cost of the package, raising concerns given the country’s recent economic turbulence.
A senior official earlier said recovery and reconstruction might cost up to USD 7 billion.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament the economy had made a significant recovery but was not strong enough to withstand the latest shock alone.
The International Monetary Fund said on Friday it was considering Sri Lanka’s request for an additional USD 200 million to help with rebuilding.
This is on top of a USD 347 million tranche due later this month, part of a four-year, USD 2.9 billion IMF bailout loan agreed in 2023.
The Sri Lanka Air Force said it had received a planeload of relief supplies from Myanmar on Sunday, the latest batch of foreign aid.
The central bank has ordered commercial lenders to reschedule loans for those affected.
