Cyclone Ditwa made landfall in Sri Lanka on November 27, 2025 and caused deadly floods and landslides across the country. In particular, record-breaking heavy rains in Kandy District, Central Province, damaged infrastructure such as homes, roads, and farmland, and over 16,000 residents are still forced to evacuate (Disaster Management Center: as of December 17).

In response to these disasters, Sri Lanka worked with local government agencies and communities in Gampola City, Kandy District, which was one of the hardest hit areas in the prefecture, and with the cooperation of its partner organization, Capital Maharaja Group, to provide support to the affected residents. 

The severity of the damage was evident in many places in Gampola city, with major roads cut off, electricity and other lifelines damaged, and soil and debris caused by the floods piled up along the roads. In addition, with rainfall due to the northeast monsoon continuing to fall, landslide warnings remain in effect in various parts of Kandy District, and the affected areas remain in a precarious situation.

According to the Disaster Management Center (DMC), as of December 17, 2025, Kandy District had the highest number of deaths and missing persons in the country, with 237 confirmed dead and 73 missing. Kandy also suffered the highest number of residential damages in the country, with 2,013 buildings completely destroyed and 14,798 partially damaged, forcing 16,317 residents to live in evacuation centers. 

The area around Gampola, known as a tea-producing region, suffered devastating damage, including widespread flooding of tea plantations. This impact has not only affected farmers, but also tea plantation workers, tea factories, and transporters, with many local residents losing their main source of income. This blow to livelihoods is making it even more difficult for affected households to rebuild their lives.

Based on the needs assessment by the DMC, A-PAD Sri Lanka procured and distributed emergency relief supplies, prioritizing households that were particularly hard hit in five districts of Gampola city (Aragoda, Maigaspurana, Kudamage, Gampolawela, and Digana). This assistance included the distribution of emergency food for children (500 people), feminine hygiene products (250 people), male hygiene products (250 people), and infant hygiene products (150 people), as well as dry food including rice and beans, women’s clothing, and cleaning supplies. A-PAD also provided cleaning supplies to CP/GP Jinaraja Women’s College in Gampola, which was hit by floods, to help speed up the restoration of the learning environment.

 

One resident who received support said, “All the families in this evacuation center have lost their homes. The food distributed this time has helped them to get through the rest of the year with a little more peace of mind.”

 

This assistance was made possible through generous support from individual and group donors, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who supported us.

 

Recovery efforts are still ongoing in Gampola, and mid- to long-term support is needed to rebuild homes and restore livelihoods. A-PAD Sri Lanka will continue its support activities in collaboration with various sectors and partner organizations to save more lives in less time and ensure a sustainable recovery.

—————————————————-

How You Can Help

By Credit Card/Bank Transfer

https://apadm.org/donate/

READYFOR Crowdfunding

https://readyfor.jp/projects/SriLanka-cyclone2025

Yahoo! Donation

https://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/5144012