Sri Lanka Declares State Of Emergency As Cyclone 'Ditwah' Kills 132 People

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Saturday and appealed for international assistance as Cyclone ‘Ditwah’ continues to ravage the country, with the death toll rising to 132 and another 176 people missing.

According to the country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the cyclonic storm has destroyed more than 15,000 homes, sending 78,000 people to state-run temporary shelters. DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief operations had been strengthened with the deployment of thousands of members of the army, navy and air force.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, granting him sweeping powers to deal with the devastation. Officials said about a third of the country was without electricity and running

water as power lines had collapsed and water purification facilities were inundated.

Authorities say that Ditwah, which developed over the southwest Bay of Bengal, is likely to move toward India’s southern coast by Sunday. Sri Lanka is forecast to see rain on Saturday, with the storm expected to pass over the northern parts of the country.

Why Was The Emergency Imposed?

Cyclone Ditwah, which has triggered Sri Lanka’s worst natural disaster in more than a decade, has caused unprecedented floods and landslides, with several districts submerged and cut off. Local authorities have reported entire communities buried by landslides, making civilian governance insufficient.

The emergency was required for rapid scaling search and rescue operations and the prevention of mass casualties. Road networks, bridges, rail lines, and power grids have been severely damaged across Sri Lanka.

As per an intelligence assessment of the situation, the breakdown of electricity, telecommunications, water supply and transport has paralysed routine functions. In several districts, access is possible only by military engineering units.

The emergency law will allow the state to overrule bureaucratic procedures and restore essential services quickly. It will empower authorities to impose curfews, control movement and secure relief convoys as large-scale development and shortages of food, water, fuel and movement are likely to spark panic.

These measures are aimed at preventing secondary chaos and ensuring protection of shelters, hospitals and supply lines.