Cyclone-Driven Landslides Turn Sri Lankan Villages Into Mass Burial Sites, Hundreds Dead

Cyclone-Driven Landslides Ravage Central Sri Lanka

Lightning-fast mudslides triggered by heavy rains from Cyclone Ditwah have devastated communities in Sri Lanka's central hills, burying homes and killing hundreds. In Hadabima village — hemmed in by mountains on one side and a river on the other — 24 people were buried in last week's slides. Nationally, authorities report 481 dead and roughly 345 missing.

Personal Tragedy and Immediate Rescue Efforts

Electrician V. K. Muthukrishnan ran to help after a mudslide destroyed a neighbour's house, only to see his own home swept away minutes later. He said a friend he had sent to aid the first collapse was killed when a second cascade of mud and boulders struck.

"I have nightmares, thinking that I sent my friend to his death," Muthukrishnan told AFP as he stood amid the ruins of his modest home, destroyed on November 27. "But it could have been more."

Tailor Adish Kumaran described similar loss: his sister and brother-in-law were killed when a second slide struck while they rushed to help a neighbour. "This is a cemetery now. We don't want to live in this village anymore," he said.

Scale Of Damage And Humanitarian Needs

The landslides and flooding have left thousands homeless and disrupted transport links: the main road into Kandy province was blocked for more than a week by falling boulders and landslides, and only briefly reopened for reporters and aid convoys. Officials estimate about 25,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. The state has sheltered more than 170,000 people while volunteers and community groups work to clear debris.

Authorities and the main recovery agency warn the reconstruction bill could reach as much as $7 billion — a heavy burden for an island nation of about 22 million people still recovering from an economic crisis in 2022. Hundreds of families are living in temporary shelters, and many residents say they cannot afford to replace lost schoolbooks, uniforms, or rebuild homes.

Local Response And Ongoing Risks

In Gampola and Peradeniya, volunteers and local religious institutions have provided shelter and helped families salvage belongings. Cleric Faleeldeen Qadiri said hundreds were sleeping in a mosque while they worked during the day to clean homes. A. M. Chandraratna, a 70-year-old former bed-and-breakfast owner, described watching his business wash away despite his lifelong familiarity with the river.

Officials warn that saturated slopes remain unstable and search-and-rescue operations continue in areas where bodies have not yet been recovered. International assistance and donor support are expected to be critical to meet immediate humanitarian needs and the long-term reconstruction effort.

Source: Reporting by AFP; local authorities' figures cited in coverage of the November landslides.