Ditwah death toll rises to 366, over 1.1 m people affected

• 366 deaths, 367 people missing, Disaster Management Centre reports
• Highest casualties from Kandy, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya 
• Gampaha, Colombo and Puttalam report highest number of affected individuals

Sri Lanka’s flood and landslide emergency intensified yesterday in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, with the Disaster Management Centre reporting 366 deaths, 367 people missing and 1,151,776 individuals affected across 25 districts as of 12 p.m. on 1 December. 

The latest situation report shows that 316,366families have been impacted, reflecting the scale of the crisis as authorities widen response efforts. 

The DMC said 1,564 safety centres are now operating island-wide and are sheltering 61,612 families, totalling 218,526 displaced people. 

Many of these centres are congested and coping with limited resources, while access to some affected areas remains restricted by washed-out roads, submerged settlements and continuing rains.

As of 10:00 a.m. yesterday, the highest number of casualties has been reported from the central region. Kandy recorded 88 deaths and 150 missing, the largest figure for any district, as rescuers contend with landslides and unstable slopes. 

Badulla has reported 71 deaths and 53 missing, with teams continuing to search through areas cut off by earth slips and debris. Nuwara Eliya reported 75 deaths and 62 missing, with persistent rainfall hampering clearing operations and assessments.

Large population centres in the Western Province and North Western Province are among the districts with the highest number of people affected or displaced. 

Gampaha has reported 218,899 affected persons with 4,799 families housed in safety centres. Colombo has recorded 218,123 affected individuals and 5,303 displaced families in shelters. Puttalam, one of the earliest districts hit by rising water levels, has reported 173,165 affected persons and 4,104 families in relief centres.

Mannar, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are also experiencing significant displacement, each hosting thousands of evacuees in temporary shelters. 

Mannar has 79,946 affected people and 5,273 families in centres. Trincomalee has 71,944 affected persons, with nearly 5,000 families now housed in 53 shelters. Anuradhapura has reported 30,703 affected persons and 2,497 displaced families, while Polonnaruwa has 24,845 affected individuals and 3,472 families in centres.

Northern districts, including Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, have recorded lower fatalities but continue to report substantial displacement. Mullaitivu has 102 safety centres accommodating 1,410 families. Jaffna has 57 centres housing 1,619 families. Kilinochchi and Vavuniya have reported steady increases in evacuees as flood levels rise across low-lying pockets.

Southern districts such as Matara, Hambantota and Galle remain comparatively less affected, with limited displacement and isolated damage reports. However, disaster officials warned that conditions could deteriorate depending on the next spell of rainfall and the rate at which reservoirs and rivers continue to swell.

Emergency response units have been deployed across all provinces, supported by the military, police and local authorities. Evacuations, supply distribution and clearance of blocked access routes continued through the day, although officials acknowledged that shortages of clean water, medical care and fuel for generators were already placing pressure on several large shelters.

The DMC said that figures are likely to change as assessments progress and access improves to isolated or cut-off villages. Officials said district-level reporting teams are continuing to compile updates as weather conditions evolve.