UNDP Reports Massive Impact as Cyclone Ditwah Floods 20% of Sri Lanka’s Land

In Sri Lanka’s hilly interior, the cyclone triggered around 1,200 landslides, cutting off access to already vulnerable communities and slowing emergency response efforts.

A new geospatial assessment by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reveals the staggering scale of destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka on 28 November and brought catastrophic flooding across the country. An estimated 2.3 million people—more than half of them women—were living in areas inundated by the cyclone.

The analysis highlights that floodwaters covered over 1.1 million hectares, nearly 20% of Sri Lanka’s total land area, making Cyclone Ditwah one of the most extensive and damaging flooding events in Sri Lankan history.

Communities Already Vulnerable Hit Hardest

UNDP’s findings show that over half of the affected population was already living with multiple vulnerabilities before the cyclone: unstable incomes, high debt burdens, and limited coping mechanisms. Under these pre-existing stresses, disasters like Cyclone Ditwah can lead to deep, long-term socioeconomic setbacks.

The exposed population includes:

• 1.2 million women

• 522,000 children

• 263,000 older persons

More than 60% of those living in flooded areas were concentrated in Colombo and Gampaha, placing tremendous strain on essential public services.

Widespread Damage to Homes, Transport, and Infrastructure

The cyclone’s floods reached nearly 720,000 buildings, affecting about one in every twelve buildings nationwide. Critical infrastructure faced extensive damage:

• 16,000 km of roads flooded—equivalent to circling Sri Lanka's coastline over 12 times

• 278 km of railway tracks submerged

• 480 bridges located in affected zones

In Sri Lanka’s hilly interior, the cyclone triggered around 1,200 landslides, cutting off access to already vulnerable communities and slowing emergency response efforts.

“Cyclone Ditwah struck regions already weakened by years of economic stress,” said Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka. “Where high flooding and high vulnerability overlap, recovery is likely to be slower and more costly. Early action in these locations is critical.”

A Rapidly Escalating Crisis

Devanand Ramiah, Chief of Crisis Readiness, Response, and Recovery at UNDP’s Crisis Bureau, stressed the speed at which the crisis unfolded. “Cyclone Ditwah is a stark reminder of how fast compounding crises can emerge—from climate shocks to socioeconomic fragility.”

The combination of flooding, landslides, weakened infrastructure, and economic pressure has created what UNDP describes as a multi-layered humanitarian and development emergency.

UNDP Calls for Scaled-Up Early Recovery Support

In collaboration with national authorities, UNDP is urging expanded early recovery assistance to help the country withstand ongoing and future climatic shocks. Priority interventions include:

• Restoring essential services in the hardest-hit regions

• Supporting affected households, especially women, children, and older persons

• Rehabilitating transport networks, including damaged bridges and roads

• Strengthening local disaster-management and climate-resilience systems

• Facilitating community-led recovery and rebuilding

“UNDP, together with the UN family and partners, is committed to supporting immediate relief and early recovery,” Kubota added. “‘Rebuilding stronger and better’ is essential—and will take time.”

Cyclone Ditwah’s devastation underscores the urgent need for long-term climate resilience, early warning systems, and sustainable development planning to protect Sri Lanka from increasingly severe climate-induced disasters.

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