Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday, 30 April 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government has approved two major relief initiatives to support communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, focusing on interim housing for displaced families and the restoration of damaged places of worship.
Under the first program, 1,000 interim housing units will be constructed for families who lost their homes and are currently living in safe centres, tents, or partially damaged houses. Official data indicate that the cyclone destroyed 6,088 homes and partially damaged more than 115,000. As of 22 April 2026, nearly 500 families remained in 20 safe centres across Kegalle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Badulla, while many others continued to stay in temporary shelters or unsafe housing conditions.
Although a monthly rental allowance of Rs. 25,000 had been introduced for affected families, limited housing availability in these areas has hindered its effectiveness. To address this gap, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Defence Minister, to implement the interim housing project using designs developed by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), with construction support from the Sri Lanka Army. The initiative is intended to provide safer and more stable living conditions until permanent housing solutions are delivered.
In parallel, the Government has also approved a comprehensive program to rebuild and repair religious sites damaged by the cyclone, ensuring the continuity of worship and community activities. The effort will be coordinated by the Buddha Sasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry together with the Department of Religious Affairs.
Under this scheme, religious sites that were completely destroyed will be reconstructed at their original locations, with priority given to essential structures such as monks’ residences, Dhamma halls, main temples, churches, sanitation facilities, and water and electricity infrastructure.
Financial assistance of up to Rs. 7.5 million will be provided for full reconstruction, while up to Rs. 5 million will be allocated for partially damaged sites. Minor damages will also be addressed through targeted restoration work.
