Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a State of Emergency across the entire island nation in response to the severe devastation caused by the recent floods and torrential rains unleashed by Cyclone Ditwah.
The declaration, made through an official gazette dated Friday and released on Saturday, comes after opposition leaders and the doctors’ trade union publicly urged the President to take this critical step. Officials confirmed that the imposition of the state of emergency is intended to expedite the process of relief coordination and rescue operations. The new regulations will facilitate the speedy deployment of the armed forces, police, health sector personnel, civil administration, and the civil defense force to effectively tackle the widespread crisis.
The declaration comes as Cyclone Ditwah exited Sri Lanka on Saturday, heading toward the south Indian coastline, according to meteorological officials. Athula Karunanayake, director general of the meteorology department, confirmed the cyclone’s movement but warned, “However, its indirect impact with heavy rains and high speed winds will remain for some time.”
As of 9 AM, the official death toll from the cyclone and subsequent flooding stood at 123 people, with 130 others still missing, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). Officials warned that the final casualty figure is expected to be much higher, as communication breakdowns in the severely affected areas continue to hamper the full verification of the disaster’s impact.