COLOMBO: Families huddled in schools and community centers across Sri Lanka on Friday as Cyclone Ditwah carved a deadly path through the island nation, claiming 46 lives and leaving 23 people missing.
The storm unleashed over 12 inches of rain in just hours, triggering devastating landslides in the eastern and central regions that accounted for most of the deaths. Nearly 44,000 people have been affected as floodwaters continue rising.
Military helicopters worked frantically to pluck stranded families from rooftops and treetops. In one striking rescue, a man clinging to a coconut tree was airlifted to safety. Thirteen people trapped on a bridge in Polonnaruwa, 140 miles from the capital, were evacuated by air force crews.
“Strong winds are making the floods worse,” said 70-year-old Mohammed Rumy from Colombo’s Wellampitiya suburb, where he helped neighbors move furniture to higher ground before heading to a shelter with his family.
Colombo, home to over 750,000 people, saw major flooding as the storm surge combined with torrential rains. The stock exchange shut down early, schools closed, and train services ground to a halt.
At Bandaranaike International Airport, 15 flights were diverted to Indian airports as heavy rains disrupted operations, stranding thousands of passengers.
Weather officials warn that flooding could worsen over the next 12 hours as Ditwah moves toward southern India. Over 20,000 police and military personnel have mobilized for expanded evacuations around Colombo’s outskirts.
India has already delivered 6.5 tons of emergency food supplies to support relief efforts as the crisis unfolds.
The Irrigation Department expects floodwaters that have already inundated vast areas of southern and eastern Sri Lanka to spread further, forcing more families from their homes in the coming hours.
-Kevin Liffey
