Sri Lanka Nearly Doubles Troop Deployment to 38,500 as Cyclone Ditwah Recovery Moves to Rebuilding

Sri Lanka has nearly doubled its military presence in regions devastated by Cyclone Ditwah, deploying 38,500 security personnel to support recovery and rebuilding efforts after the storm killed 627 people, the army said on Monday.

More than two million people — roughly 10% of the island's population — have been affected by the disaster, which officials describe as the worst storm to hit Sri Lanka this century. The tea-growing central region was the hardest hit, with 471 deaths recorded in official counts.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned that further heavy monsoon rains were expected, with some areas forecast to receive over 50 millimetres of rain, and cautioned residents about the risk of additional landslides and localized strong winds.

The DMC has confirmed 627 fatalities and reported that another 190 people have been unaccounted for since the intense rains began on November 27, when Cyclone Ditwah triggered widespread flooding and landslides.

Army Chief Lasantha Rodrigo said in a pre-recorded statement that security forces have rescued 31,116 people since the disaster began. Army spokesman Waruna Gamage added that the additional troops were deployed as operations shifted from search-and-rescue to recovery, rebuilding roads and bridges, and decontaminating drinking water wells affected by floodwaters.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who called the calamity the most challenging any Sri Lankan government has faced, visited affected areas last week to oversee relief operations. He announced a recovery package that includes 10 million rupees (about $33,000) per affected household to buy land in safer locations and rebuild, along with livelihood support and cash assistance for essential household items and food.

It remains unclear how much the recovery package will cost the state. Sri Lanka is still recovering from a severe economic crisis in 2022 that depleted foreign exchange reserves and constrained imports. President Dissanayake has appealed for international assistance, including from the International Monetary Fund, saying the government cannot shoulder reconstruction costs alone.

More than 75,000 homes were damaged in the disaster, nearly 5,000 of them completely destroyed. A senior official previously estimated that recovery and reconstruction could cost as much as US$7 billion.

Key figures: 38,500 security personnel deployed; 627 confirmed dead; 190 missing; 31,116 people rescued; more than 2 million affected; 75,000+ homes damaged.