Sri Lanka reveals plan to help with cyclone aftermath as rain continues

Sri Lanka has introduced a large-scale aid program to help rebuild homes destroyed by a deadly cyclone, even as authorities warned on Saturday of additional flooding and landslides.

Officials have confirmed 607 fatalities, while 214 people remain missing and are presumed dead following what President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described as the nations most severe natural disaster. More than two million residentsaround a tenth of the countrys populationhave been affected.

According to the finance ministry, survivors will receive up to 10 million rupees ($33,000) to purchase safer land and construct new homes. Families of those killed or permanently disabled will be granted one million rupees in compensation.

The Disaster Management Centre reported that over 71,000 houses sustained damage, with nearly 5,000 completely destroyed by last weeks floods and landslides. Approximately 150,000 people remain in government shelters, down from 225,000 at the height of the crisis.

The International Monetary Fund announced it is reviewing Sri Lankas request for an additional $200 million, supplementing a $347 million disbursement already scheduled for this month. The IMF stated it is working closely with the government to support recovery efforts and bolster long-term resilience.

Cyclone Ditwah struck as the country continued to emerge from its most severe economic downturn in 2022, following a $2.9 billion IMF rescue program approved the previous year.

President Dissanayake told parliament on Friday that while the economy has shown notable improvement, it remains too fragile to manage the current disaster without outside assistance.

Meanwhile, forecasts predict more rainfall across multiple regions, including the worst-hit central areas, heightening concerns of additional landslides and slowing clean-up operations. Authorities have instructed residents from high-risk hillside zones not to return home yet, even if their properties appear unaffected.

A new landslide alert was issued on Friday for several regions not previously covered by earlier warnings.

Author: Zoe Harrison