Peace Winds Launches Emergency Relief in Sri Lanka After Cyclone Ditwah Kills Hundreds
Peace Winds is providing emergency relief in Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah made landfall last week, exacerbating monsoon rains and causing widespread flooding and mudslides. Sri Lanka’s President Dissanayake is calling it the “largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history.” More than 350 people have died, hundreds of others are missing, and 108,000 people have been displaced after tens of thousands of homes were destroyed.
A Peace Winds disaster response team, including medical personnel, is arriving in the area now to provide emergency relief. In the meantime, local staff based in Sri Lanka are working with government officials and others to assess the extent of the damage and the needs of survivors. The air force is delivering food and other supplies to isolated areas affected by the cyclone, but fuel is running low. There are also reports of people panic buying water, coconuts, vegetables, and other items, which are already in short supply.
This disaster is the latest in a series of cyclones that struck Southeast Asia at the end of November, overwhelming response teams and impacting millions of people across the region. Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rains and strong winds for several days after making landfall on November 27. But even after the cyclone passed, communities are contending with dam collapses and landslides amid Sri Lanka’s rainy season.
Peace Winds has been working in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended in 2009, so our team has a strong connection in the country. Long-term programs have included livelihood support for local farmers, including repairing agricultural infrastructure that was devastated by the civil war and increasing the value of produce by promoting organic farming.
Our Sri Lankan staff, who are familiar with the local situation, are teaming up with Peace Winds disaster response experts from Japan to do their utmost to save as many Sri Lankan people as possible in the midst of this devastation. Your donations will help us provide emergency relief as we continue to monitor the situation.
To donate to the emergency response in Sri Lanka, please choose “Sri Lanka Relief” in the donation dropdown menu, or click here to learn more about donating to Peace Winds. We appreciate your continued support.