Sri Lanka’s government has pledged to restore and reconstruct 764 religious places damaged in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, including Buddhist temples, Hindu kovils, Catholic churches and mosques, according to a report by the Daily Mirror on Tuesday. Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Sunil Senevi told a press briefing that 379 Buddhist temples, 165 Hindu kovils, 63 Catholic churches and 157 mosques were affected, while 18 cultural centres across multiple districts were also damaged.
The Minister announced that the government will provide each affected place of worship with an initial Rs. 25,000 grant for cleaning and preliminary restoration work, to enable the immediate continuation of religious practices. He added that reconstruction will take place in several phases under state supervision.
Senevi further noted that inter-religious programs will commence today to offer blessings and prayers for victims of Cyclone Ditwah and the subsequent floods. Religious services will be held at key locations across the country, including Bambalapitiya Kadiresan Kovil for Hindu devotees, Grandpass St. Joseph’s Church for Catholics, St. Paul’s Church in Colombo 08 for Christians, and Wellawatte Jumma Mosque for Muslims, the Daily Mirror reported.
Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology has warned that a new storm developing in the Bay of Bengal may bring rainfall of up to 75 mm, particularly over the northern, eastern and north-central regions, according to the report. The Daily Mirror also reported that the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 627, with 190 people still missing. The disaster has impacted all 25 districts, affecting over 2.17 million people from more than 611,000 families, as torrential rain, flash floods and landslides continue to disrupt life and damage critical infrastructure.
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