Relief with responsibility: managing foreign aid after Ditwah Cyclone

A swift regional response in Sri Lanka's hour of need

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SRI Lanka is once again confronted with the harsh realities of nature's fury. Cyclone Ditwah, intensified by days of relentless monsoon rains, has left the country grappling with a humanitarian emergency of vast proportions. Over 450 lives have been lost, while a similar number remain missing, with emergency officials warning that these figures could rise as rescue teams reach remote, landslide-prone areas. Entire communities have been swallowed by mud, bridges have collapsed, and thousands of displaced families await food, medicine, and clean water amid worsening health risks. The devastation has placed extraordinary pressure on national institutions already tested by economic and infrastructural challenges.

Yet amid this distress, Sri Lanka has witnessed a profound expression of regional goodwill. India was the first to respond, mobilising air and naval assets and deploying specialised rescue teams within hours of the disaster. Pakistan followed closely, dispatching naval and medical personnel who are now working alongside Sri Lankan authorities in some of the worst-affected zones. At the time of compiling this report, Bangladesh has also announced the deployment of a specialised rescue and medical team, with its contingent expected to arrive shortly along with urgently required material assistance. These regional commitments have not only strengthened Sri Lanka's immediate response but reaffirmed the depth of neighbourly solidarity in South Asia.

Global support and financial commitments