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Home » NewsOnce again, forces to the rescue
The nation’s security forces, who once saved the country and its people from the throes of the separatist threat, have again been called in to save lives — this time from a devastating cyclone that left nearly a million affected and hundreds dead or missing. The pictures show Air Force personnel (left) rescuing a girl [...]
Ditwah leaves over 150 dead, 200 missing, one million affected
Death toll expected to rise; President convenes crucial meeting on post-disaster recovery By Chandani Kirinde and Damith Wickremasekara Rescue workers continued the grim task of recovering bodies in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah’s devastation, with more than 150 reported dead, over 200 missing, and close to a million affected by one of the worst natural [...]
President declares Emergency to deal with Ditwah disaster
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency regulations under the Public Security Ordinance on Friday night, making provision for the appointment of a Commissioner General for Essential Services and requisitioning of personnel, property and vehicles, as well as wide powers to the police and members of the armed forces to maintain law and order. The regulations [...]
Travel havoc: Cyclone triggers widespread flight disruptions
Cyclone Ditwah caused major travel disruptions on Friday and yesterday, with Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd (AASL) reporting flight cancellations, delays and diversions. The turmoil continued into yesterday, with a total of 17 SriLankan Airlines departures cancelled. The company expressed hope that the situation would regain some semblance of normality by tonight. [...]
Govt. will tap global assistance for rebuilding: Minister
The Government plans to make a fresh appeal for international assistance within the next two weeks as the country begins to rebuild after the devastation left by Cyclone Ditwah. Directed at individual nations, the appeal seeks assistance for rebuilding infrastructure—including bridges, roads, and houses destroyed by heavy rains, landslides, and flooding—as well as for medical [...]
Govt directs airlines to provide relief for disaster-hit passengers
The Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry yesterday issued a directive to SriLankan Airlines and all international airlines operating in Sri Lanka to fully waive flight cancellation and date-change charges for passengers who need to reschedule their flights due to ongoing weather-related disruptions. It has also instructed these parties to implement flexible re-booking policies to allow [...]
Ditwah’s fury took people by surprise, were warnings adequate?
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Sri Lanka’s emergency response to Cyclone Ditwah unfolded under immense pressure this week, with national and district authorities activating early warnings, evacuations and search-and-rescue operations as the system intensified. Yet many affected residents told the Sunday Times that they only realised the severity of the cyclone by Thursday night, raising concerns about [...]
Battling all odds, Navy and SLAF rescue stranded bus passengers with a never say die attitude
By Dilushi Wijesinghe A tense, day-long rescue mission along Kala Oya concluded safely yesterday morning when the Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) jointly carried out an operation to save 67 people who sought refuge on an asbestos rooftop after getting stranded in a bus submerged in flood waters. The operation began when an [...]
Battling all odds, Navy and SLAF rescue stranded bus passengers with a never say die attitude
By Dilushi Wijesinghe A tense, day-long rescue mission along Kala Oya concluded safely yesterday morning when the Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) jointly carried out an operation to save 67 people who sought refuge on an asbestos rooftop after getting stranded in a bus submerged in flood waters. The operation began when an [...]
Ditwah Cyclone, a name proposed by Yemen
The cyclone ‘Ditwah’ that has left a path of destruction in Sri Lanka, was a name submitted by Yemen. According to the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) ESCAP (Economic Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) panel, of which Sri Lanka is one of 13 member countries the name was proposed by Yemen and is derived [...]
Tri-forces and police in rescue operations amidst rain, waist-deep water and falling earth
By Dilushi Wijesinghe The tri-forces and police launched rapid island-wide operations to rescue stranded families and safeguard vulnerable communities as Cyclone Ditwah swept across the country, unleashing torrential rains, floods and landslides, Military teams were deployed across multiple districts including Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu. Flash floods and earth slips cut [...]
Ditwah leaves carnage and catastrophe in its wake; 20 districts badly hit
By Jayanie Madawala The death toll from Cyclone Ditwah rose to 159 as of Saturday, marking one of Sri Lanka’s worst natural disasters after years; with search operations underway for more than 203 missing persons across the country. Cyclone Ditwah ravaged across the island triggering deadly floods and landslides causing severe hardships to over 833,985. [...]
Extensive damage to railway lines, say officials
By Rekha Tharangani Fonseka Train services remain crippled with extensive damage to some lines, Railway Department officials said. The General Superintendent of Railways was not available for comment but the Railway Department Media Spokesperson, Asanka Samarasinghe, said out of the 100 daily journeys, only about twelve have recommenced. He said operations have started on the [...]
Legal Aid Commission to appoint lawyers for those who can’t afford in Supreme Court
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Legal Aid Commission (LAC) has taken steps to appoint lawyers to represent parties that have been unable to secure lawyers in criminal appeals filed before the Supreme Court. Up until now, court appointed lawyers were only assigned to cases before the High Court and Court of Appeal. As such, steps are [...]
CIABOC to question Lakshman Kiriella on DPI Tower Building lease
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which is investigating the decision to move the Ministry of Agriculture to the DPI Tower Building in Rajagiriya during the Yahapalana government, has decided to question members of the cabinet sub-committee involved in the decision. Former Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella, [...]
Heroes’ Day to mark the LTTE fallen in North and East
By S. Rubatheesan Heavy rains did not deter thousands of people in the North and East from gathering in one-time cemeteries of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) across the two provinces to commemorate their loved ones on Heroes’ Day, known as Maveerar Naal. In Kanagapuram war cemetery of Kilinochchi, amidst heavy rains, thousands [...]
India’s INS Vikrant helps Sri Lanka on maiden voyage
INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier which made its maiden voyage out of India to Sri Lanka this week was able to provide help to the flood-affected when two of its Chetak helicopters were deployed for search and rescue operations. The operations took place with Sri Lanka Air Force personnel on board. Earlier, an [...]
Aluthgama monk initiates flood relief campaign
By Thusitha Kumara Silva The Ven Beragama Sumana Thera from Aluthgama yesterday began a campaign to collect relief items for the families affected by floods and landslides. The monk who is the head of the Bosevana Foundation started collecting dry rations and bottles of drinking water, among other items, to be sent to the affected [...]
Court of Appeal dismisses appeal filed by an information requestor against the RTI Commission
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal on Wednesday (November 26) dismissed an appeal filed by a retired teacher who had challenged the Right to Information Commission’s acceptance of the Uva Province Education Department’s explanation that the requested information relating to his pension had already been released to him. This was a rare case of [...]
Deadly Ditwah tears through Sri Lanka
With Sri Lanka reeling under the devastating spell of Cyclone Ditwah, which has left a trail of deaths and destruction over the past three days, these pictures from our regional correspondents capture the gravity of a tragedy described as the worst flooding disaster the country has faced in over two decades. Pix by Gnanasiri Httiarachchige, [...]
Fisherfolk contest ban on machinery use for onshore seine net
By Malaka Rodrigo on Sri Lanka’s sandy shores, beach seine fishing — or ma-dela — has long been more than a way to earn a living. It is a cultural ritual: a communal gathering where dozens pull the net ashore by hand, chanting in rhythm, sharing the catch, and carrying forward a tradition passed down [...]
“It’s like being home”: Tales from safety centres in Colombo
By Tharushi Weerasinghe As hundreds of safety centres were set up across the island for those displaced by the landslides and floods from Cyclone Ditwah, thousands arrived in droves to seek refuge. In one such camp in the Wellampitiya–Kolonnawa belt, families arrived through the night and early morning, with some centres so crowded that people [...]
NWSDB says no disruptions to operations at Ambatale water treatment plant
By Dilushi Wijeisnghe The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) yesterday assured the public that the operations at Ambatale Water Treatment Plant, remain stable and uninterrupted. The assurance follows various reports that the Ambatale water treatment plant, which purifies 550,000 cubic metres of water daily and supplies to nearly 70 percent of Colombo’s residents, [...]
Widespread network and electricity failures cut communication
By Tharushi Weerasinghe Widespread network failures causing issues in communication, and electricity failures and disconnections were reported in several parts of the country during the past three days. Network disruptions were also reported across several districts. SLT Acting CEO Imantha Wijekoon said major failures occurred in Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Nawalapitiya, Badulla and Bandarawela after landslides [...]
SriLankan Airlines says none of its Airbus fleet affected by software issue
SriLankan Airlines – which flies 9 aircraft from the Airbus A320 family (including A32-200 and A320neo) – yesterday said none of their planes were affected by a software issue that Airbus warns might cause intense solar radiation to corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls in the A320 family of aircraft. “None of [...]