Ditwah closes in as Rain, Floods and Landslides affects thousands!

Ditwah cyclone is forming near Sri Lanka’s eastern region.

Sri Lanka is experiencing severe island-wide adverse weather as a deep depression over the southeast of the country intensified into Cyclonic Storm “Ditwah”—pronounced Dit-wah.

According to meteorological department, the system is currently centered near latitude 6.9°N and longitude 81.9°E, close to the east of Pottuvil, and is expected to move north–northwestwards.

Heavy Rains, Floods, and Warnings Issued

The Department of Meteorology has warned that heavy rains, strong winds, and ongoing flooding will continue across multiple districts.

Bad weather is expected to persist over the next 24 hours in:

Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Moneragala, Badulla, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo

Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and take appropriate safety measures as local conditions may vary.

An emergency disaster situation has been declared in the Kandy District due to worsening weather conditions.

Local media report s that over 30 deaths reported owing to the landslides and flooding that has caused havoc in the Indian Ocean Island.

In addition, the Kandy–Mahiyanganaya main road—commonly known as the 18 Hairpin Bend Road—has been closed until further notice due to safety concerns.

The Department of Railways has also suspended train services on the Kandy–Matale line in response to flooding and unstable ground conditions.

Many areas within these provinces may continue to experience rising water levels, obstructed roads, and potential landslides.

The Meteorology Department forecasts that the effects of Cyclone Ditwah will continue for the next several days, bringing heavy rainfall above 200 mm into several areas and strong winds in most parts of the Island.

The public is strongly advised to take extra precautions to minimize risk from flooding, fallen trees, landslides, and storm-related damage.

In the meantime, weather officials say the the earthquake in the Indian Ocean does not pose a tsunami threat to Sri Lanka.

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