On Sunday, Sri Lankan authorities issued new landslide warnings as rains struck areas already ravaged by a powerful cyclone, raising the death toll to 618.
Last week’s floods and landslides from Cyclone Ditwah, the island’s worst this century, have affected over two million people—nearly 10% of the population.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported that monsoon storms are causing more rainfall and destabilizing hillsides, especially in the central mountainous region and north-western midlands.
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On Sunday, helicopters and planes delivered supplies to communities isolated by landslides in the country’s center.
The Sri Lanka Air Force received a planeload of relief supplies from Myanmar on Sunday, marking the latest foreign aid shipment.
The government confirmed 618 deaths—464 from the lush, tea-growing central region—while 209 people remain missing.
The number of individuals in state-run refugee camps dropped to 100,000 from 225,000 as floodwaters receded by Sunday, according to the DMC.
Over 75,000 homes were damaged, with nearly 5,000 completely destroyed.
On Friday, the government announced a major compensation plan to rebuild homes and revive businesses devastated by the natural disaster, which struck as the island was recovering from its 2022 economic crisis.
A senior official previously estimated recovery and reconstruction costs might reach $7 billion.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated on Friday it is considering Sri Lanka’s request for an additional $200 million to assist with rebuilding.
This amount adds to the $347 million tranche due later this month, part of a four-year, $2.9 billion IMF bailout agreed in 2023.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake informed parliament on Friday that Sri Lanka’s economy had significantly recovered but was not robust enough to endure the latest shock alone.
Survivors will receive up to 10 million rupees ($33,000) to purchase land in safer areas and construct new homes, as per the finance ministry’s statement issued late on Friday.
A compensation of one million rupees is offered for each person killed or permanently disabled.
The government did not disclose the compensation package’s total cost, sparking concerns given the country’s recent economic instability.
The central bank has instructed commercial lenders, both state-owned and private, to reschedule loans.
