Sri Lanka Issues Landslide Alerts as Cyclone Ditwah Death Toll Hits 627

Sri Lanka Issues New Landslide Alerts as Cyclone Ditwah Death Toll Reaches 627

Sri Lankan authorities issued renewed landslide warnings on Sunday as continuous heavy rains affected regions already devastated by Cyclone Ditwah, raising the confirmed death toll to 627.

Over the past two weeks, tropical storms and monsoon rains have struck South and Southeast Asia, causing flooding, landslides, and widespread disruptions from the rainforests of Sumatra to Sri Lanka’s highland tea plantations. Across the region — including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam — at least 1,826 people have died.

In Sri Lanka, over two million residents — nearly 10% of the population — have been impacted by catastrophic floods and landslides, the worst natural disaster in decades. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned that ongoing monsoon storms are destabilizing hillsides in central and northwestern districts, increasing the risk of further landslides.

Helicopters and aircraft continued emergency missions, delivering supplies to isolated communities cut off by blocked roads and slope failures. The Sri Lanka Air Force confirmed the arrival of international relief, including a planeload from Myanmar. Authorities report that 190 people remain missing.