Sri Lanka Issues Fresh Landslide Alerts as Cyclone Toll Rises to 627

Sri Lanka Issues Fresh Landslide Alerts As Cyclone Death Toll Rises

Sri Lankan authorities warned on Sunday of renewed landslides as heavy rains continued to batter areas already devastated by a powerful cyclone, while the official island-wide death toll rose to 627.

A series of tropical storms and monsoon downpours has swept across South and Southeast Asia over the past two weeks, triggering floods and landslides from Sumatra's rainforests to Sri Lanka's mountain plantations. Officials say at least 1,826 people have been killed across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam during the recent spate of weather disasters.

Impact In Sri Lanka

More than two million people — nearly 10% of Sri Lanka's population — have been affected after last week's floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which officials called the worst to hit the island this century. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned that ongoing monsoon systems were adding rainfall and increasing slope instability, particularly in the central highlands and the northwestern midlands.

Rescue teams deployed helicopters and aircraft on Sunday to deliver supplies to communities cut off by landslides in the island's interior. The Sri Lanka Air Force reported receiving a planeload of relief goods from Myanmar on Sunday, the latest consignment of international aid. Government figures show 627 dead in Sri Lanka, including 471 fatalities in the tea-growing central region, and about 190 people remain unaccounted for.

The number of people sheltering in state-run camps has fallen to 90,000 from a peak of 225,000 as floodwaters receded. Authorities estimate more than 80,000 homes were damaged, with close to 5,000 houses completely destroyed.

Regional Toll And Response

In Indonesia, the death toll climbed to 921 with 392 people still missing. President Prabowo Subianto visited hard-hit Aceh province to accelerate emergency response and recovery, but his visit prompted criticism from some residents who accused officials of 'disaster tourism' rather than taking sustained action.

"We don't need officials to just observe. We need their presence to address the issues faced by the community," said Syahrul, a protester in northern Aceh.

Long queues were reported for drinking water and fuel in Banda Aceh, and prices for basic goods such as eggs surged as shortages persisted.

Recovery And Financing

The Sri Lankan government unveiled a major compensation package to rebuild homes and revive businesses destroyed by the floods and landslides. A senior official estimated reconstruction and recovery costs could reach $7 billion. The International Monetary Fund said it is considering Sri Lanka's request for an additional $200 million to help with rebuilding, on top of a $347 million tranche due later this month under a four-year, $2.9 billion bailout agreed in 2023.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament that while the economy had made significant recovery strides since 2022, it remains vulnerable and will need international support to absorb the latest shock.