Sri Lanka is committed to rebuilding better and stronger in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, according to Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando. The cyclone, the most severe natural disaster to hit the island in over two decades, has left more than 800 people dead or missing.
“We will rebuild better and stronger,” Minister Fernando stated. “When we reconstruct, we must create something that is better than what was there before.”
The government has announced that it will provide 5 million rupees to individuals who have completely lost their homes, regardless of the original size of the property.
Cyclone Ditwah was an unusual weather event that developed very close to Sri Lanka and traveled slowly north along the island, bringing heavy rainfall to almost all regions. Although wind speeds were relatively low, the cyclone’s slow movement resulted in sustained rain over more than two days. This triggered around 1,200 landslides and dangerous debris flows, which in some cases traveled up to five kilometers, causing widespread destruction.
The Road Development Authority (RDA) has provided a preliminary estimate indicating that it may cost up to 190 billion rupees to rebuild damaged roads and bridges, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament. RDA Director General K. Kandamby noted that reconstruction efforts will include strengthening slopes, particularly in the hill country where numerous rock falls have occurred. Some of these have been from recently cut slopes, although areas where slopes had already been reinforced have withstood the disaster.
Social media footage shows that main RDA roads and culverts have generally withstood the heavy water flows. However, many smaller roads managed by local authorities have also sustained significant damage and will require repairs.
The rail network has also suffered severe damage in some areas. Railway officials have confirmed that India has offered assistance with rebuilding the northern railway track, which was originally constructed by India’s IRCON and is the most advanced line in the country, capable of supporting trains at speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour.
Minister Fernando added that the government is preparing a 500 billion rupee supplementary estimate for next year’s budget to address reconstruction needs. A Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) assessment will soon provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the damage and requirements for rebuilding.
In addition, the World Bank has announced that it will provide 120 million dollars by repurposing emergency components of existing loans and will assist Sri Lanka in mobilizing additional funding for recovery efforts.
(Colombo/Dec16/2025)
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