Sri Lanka’s disaster bill from Cyclone Ditwah has already crossed 200 billion rupees, revealing the immense scale of destruction and the urgent need for expanded national relief efforts.
The President’s relief package for Cyclone Ditwah has now surpassed 200 billion rupees as government agencies continue to evaluate the widespread destruction across the country. Early assessments indicate that compensation payments for the damage caused by the cyclone will exceed this amount, making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in Sri Lanka’s recent history. Keywords such as disaster compensation, national relief package and Cyclone Ditwah impact highlight the magnitude of the crisis.
According to the latest report issued this afternoon by the Disaster Management Center and the budget circular released today by the Ministry of Finance under the Empowerment of the Affected program, the financial requirement continues to rise. Officials note that these figures remain provisional because a final calculation for several categories, including crop damage and agricultural losses, is still pending.
Current Approximate Calculation
The available data reflects only the initial estimates but already signals a significant economic burden for the government. The assessment outlines the preliminary breakdown of essential relief categories, emphasising the growing cost of housing repairs, livelihood support and personal compensation for affected families. Authorities stress that these numbers will increase further as complete reports from all districts arrive.
Sri Lanka’s recovery from Cyclone Ditwah will depend heavily on accurate damage evaluation, consistent financial support and long term rebuilding strategies that strengthen climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
Housing Related Relief Costs
| Category | Number of Reports | Allowance (Per Unit / Maximum) | Total Cost (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| House cleaning allowance | 73,944 (4,309 + 69,635) | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 1,848,600,000 |
| Material allowance | 73,944 (4,309 + 69,635) | Rs. 50,000 | Rs. 3,697,200,000 |
| Construction of fully damaged houses | 4,309 | Rs. 5,000,000 | Rs. 21,545,000,000 |
| Repair of partially damaged houses (Maximum) | 69,635 | Rs. 2,500,000 | Rs. 174,087,500,000 |
| Total Housing Related | Rs. 201,178,300,000 |
Personal and Livelihood Related Relief
| Category | Number of Reports | Allowance (Per Unit / Maximum) | Total Cost (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life losses (611 deaths + 213 missing) | 824 | Rs. 1,000,000 | Rs. 824,000,000 |
| Monthly livelihood allowance (For 3 months) – Families with fully damaged homes | 4,309 | Rs. 50,000 (Maximum) | Rs. 646,350,000 |
| House rental allowance (For 6 months) – Families with fully damaged homes | 4,309 | Rs. 25,000 (Maximum) | Rs. 646,350,000 |
| Allowance for school students (Students in safe places) | 114,126 | Rs. 15,000 | Rs. 1,711,890,000 |
| Total Personal and Livelihood Related | Rs. 3,828,590,000 |
| Category | Total Expenditure (Rs.) |
|---|---|
| I. Total housing related | 201,178,300,000 |
| II. Total personal and livelihood related | 3,828,590,000 |
| Maximum total eligible expenditure | 205,006,890,000 |
Date Range:
From 2025.11.16 at 0600 hrs to 2025.12.06 at 1200 hrs – Disaster Situation Report
| No. | District | Affected Families | Affected Persons | Deaths | Missing | Fully Damaged Houses | Partially Damaged Houses | Hospitals Damaged | Schools Damaged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gampaha | 98,631 | 347,211 | 0 | 0 | 255 | 3,273 | 52 | 1,874 |
| 2 | Kalutara | 12,274 | 45,187 | 83 | 28 | 269 | 3,896 | 178 | 6,246 |
| 3 | Matale | 1,467 | 4,867 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 507 | 2 | 51 |
| 4 | Kandy | 7,211 | 25,744 | 28 | 9 | 119 | 2,864 | 44 | 1,355 |
| 5 | Nuwara Eliya | 80,682 | 310,044 | 8 | 0 | 186 | 9,893 | 86 | 3,233 |
| 6 | Kegalle | 16,429 | 37,389 | 27 | 10 | 452 | 4,812 | 33 | 1,004 |
| 7 | Ratnapura | 19,029 | 67,161 | 30 | 41 | 582 | 11,668 | 54 | 6,027 |
| 8 | Matara | 25,981 | 86,313 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 704 | 0 | 170 |
| 9 | Hambantota | 21,835 | 72,007 | 0 | 0 | 228 | 2,235 | 13 | 266 |
| 10 | Jaffna | 22,918 | 67,340 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 907 | 40 | 1,191 |
| 11 | Kilinochchi | 8,878 | 28,093 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 374 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Mannar | 6,900 | 23,618 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 771 | 14 | 641 |
| 13 | Vavuniya | 16,918 | 53,828 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 370 | 6 | 124 |
| 14 | Mullaitivu | 11,426 | 40,724 | 2 | 0 | 219 | 3,403 | 6 | 604 |
| 15 | Batticaloa | 51,908 | 181,012 | 232 | 81 | 1,800 | 13,044 | 341 | 8,992 |
| 16 | Ampara | 18,375 | 71,633 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7,851 | 10 | 106 |
| 17 | Trincomalee | 25,059 | 86,163 | 11 | 11 | 480 | 3,395 | 43 | 1,209 |
| 18 | Kurunegala | 10,444 | 42,889 | 35 | 15 | 453 | 35 | 885 | 2,794 |
| 19 | Puttalam | 448 | 1,617 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 437 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Anuradhapura | 3,353 | 11,733 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 188 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Polonnaruwa | 518 | 1,795 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 492 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Badulla | 2,013 | 7,093 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 953 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Monaragala | 23,641 | 77,451 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 156 | 1 | 57 |
| 24 | Colombo | 88,738 | 362,664 | 13 | 2 | 132 | 4,765 | 20 | 451 |
| 25 | Galle | 6,320 | 20,785 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 135 | 5 | 0 |
TOTALS
| Totals | Affected Families: 576,626 | Affected Persons: 2,054,535 | Deaths: 611 | Missing: 213 | Fully Damaged Houses: 4,309 | Partially Damaged Houses: 69,635 | Hospitals Damaged: 956 | Schools Damaged: 33,622 | Students Affected: 114,126 |
(Source: NDRSC)
