Damage from Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka estimated at $ 4.1 b

CYCLONE Ditwah has inflicted an estimated $ 4.1 billion (approximately Rs. 1.3 trillion) in direct physical damage to buildings, agriculture, and critical infrastructure across Sri Lanka, equivalent to around 4% of GDP, according to the highly anticipated Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report released yesterday by the World Bank Group.

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The cyclone, among the most intense and destructive in Sri Lanka's recent history, severely affected close to 2 million people and 500,000 families across all 25 districts, disrupting livelihoods, essential services, and the broader economy.

According to the World Bank, the estimate covers direct physical damage only. It does not include income losses, business interruption, or the full costs of recovery and reconstruction, including potential "build back better" investments. Total recovery needs are therefore expected to be significantly higher.

The Sri Lanka GRADE report provides timely and critical insights to guide the emergency response, recovery planning, and longer-term disaster risk reduction efforts. The assessment uses the World Bank's rapid, remote, model-based GRADE methodology, which estimates direct economic damage to physical assets. The report does not include losses related to income or production, nor the full costs of recovery and reconstruction.

The estimated $ 4.1 billion in direct damages represents a significant shock to affected regions. The Central Province was the hardest hit, with damages in the Kandy District estimated at $ 689 million, primarily caused by flooding and, to a lesser extent, by landslides.

Infrastructure, including roads, bridges, railways, and water supply networks, accounts for the largest share of damage, at an estimated $ 1.735 billion (42% of total damages), disrupting connectivity and access to markets and services.