Dec 8 (NW) Prez emphasised that no room will be given in the future for unauthorised constructions and that the laws relating to them will be strengthened. Prez further pointed out that failure to do so would lead the country to face an even greater disaster. Prez stated that a separate unit will be established under the Reconstruction Presidential Task Force, which is to be set up shortly, to formulate legal policies & that this will enable more..

Dec 8 (USE) Today at Katunayake Air Base, two C-130J Super Hercules and Airmen from the U.S. Air Force 36th Contingency Response Group (CRG) arrived to provide American airlift capability in support of SL’s Cyclone Ditwah response. U.S. Ambassador to SL Julie Chung and SL’s Deputy Minister of Defense Aruna Jayasekara welcomed the team on arrival U.S. and SL counterparts are moving immediately to begin deliveries of critical relief supplies to affected communities. more..

Dec 8 (FT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spent the weekend in Kandy, Matale, Anuradhapura, and Ratnapura, assessing Cyclone Ditwah’s impact, reviewing district-level restoration work, and meeting religious leaders to brief them on the Govt’s relief program. In Kandy, the President chaired the District Coordinating Committee and directed officials to accelerate the restoration of roads, water, and electricity, and to complete temporary repairs within the next 25 days. more..

Dec 8 (EN) Sri Lank is going for its 18th IMF program, barely a year after the country was given hopes that the current EFF which came in the wake of 2020 inflationary rate cuts will be the last. Prez said a team will be in Sri Lanka in January and a new review will be conducted. The visit was later confirmed by the IMF. Prez said that next year’s budget will have 500 billion rupees of extra spending after the Cyclone Ditwah. more..

Dec 8 (FT) IMF yesterday confirmed that SL’s request for $ 200 million in emergency financing now takes priority over the Fifth Review of the EFF, which will be deferred to early next year. Fund also signalled that the next tranche—previously set at about $ 347 million—could be increased, subject to further evaluation. “In light of the SL authorities’ request for emergency financing, IMF Board consideration of Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) request is the priority at the current juncture,” more..

Dec 8 (AD) Depatment of Irrigation has announced that water levels in all reservoirs across the island are returning to normal. Director of Irrigation L.S. Sooriyabandara stated that data from the dept’s measurement stations indicate that no reservoir is currently at flood level. The highest rainfall during the past 24 hours between 50 and 100 millimetres was recorded in several major catchment areas. Rainfall of 50–100 millimetres was observed in the Kelani and Kalu Ganga basins, more..

Dec 8 (Island) In a quiet but significant shift, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is moving beyond traditional destination marketing and instinct-based planning. The recent launch of the From Data to Decisions initiative jointly backed by Australia’s Market Development Facility and SL Tourism Development Authority, sent an unambiguous message: sentiment is out, statistics are in. The initiative is anchored by a 12-month National Airport Exit Survey, a trove of data covering 16,000 travellers. more..

Dec 8 (DN) Experienced Dinesh Chandimal came back strongly scoring 152 for Colts CC while 20-year-old Sharujan Shanmuganathan of Tamil Union hit fighting knock of 123 runs on the second day of the Major Club three day cricket tournament yesterday. Chandimal who was not included for National white ball squad played masterclass innings in 176 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes which enabled Colts CC to reach 329 for 8 wickets declared in reply to Chilaw Marian’s first innings total of 232 more..

Dec 8 (TM) Agricultural sector has suffered significant losses following Cyclone Ditwah, with preliminary estimates suggesting that over 200,000 hectares of farmland have been damaged. Ministry of Agriculture has said that the total extent of crop losses will be calculated and officially released in approximately two weeks. About 137,000 hectares of paddy fields out of a total of 611,000 hectares cultivated – representing 22% of more..

Dec 8 (ST) The appointment of a new Auditor General has been further delayed after the candidate Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake put forward to fill the vacancy in an acting capacity failed to muster the minimum number of votes required for Constitutional Council (CC) approval. Prez Dissanayake had recommended that the CC approve the name of Senior Deputy Auditor General L.S.I. Jayaratne to serve as Acting Auditor General for three months. more..

Dec 8 (ST) The Dept of National Archives has issued an urgent appeal for freezers in which to deposit documents damaged in recent floods so as to stop mould from growing on and destroying them. “Hundreds of cubic metres of irreplaceable public records are now water-damaged,” National Archives Director General Nadeera Rupesinghe said. “We have no time before mould renders them permanently destroyed.” “Freezing water-damaged documents stops mould growth and more..

Dec 8 (FT) SL is projected to fall short of its export target of achieving $ 18.2 billion in 2025 due to external and internal shocks, though preparing for a major structural shift in its strategy to boost earnings to $ 20 billion next year. “We expect to close 2025 with $ 17–17.5 billion in export revenue, slightly below the original forecast of $ 18.2 billion, due to external and domestic factors, particularly the recent adverse weather,” more..

Dec 8 (DN) Jason Fernando hit a fighting unbeaten knock of 78 in 116 balls but it was in vain as Bangladesh U-17s registered 78 runs win over Sri Lanka U-17 in their first one day game of the three match series played at Chattargon Stadium in Bangladesh yesterday. It was superb batting display by home team with Adrito Gosh leading the way scoring unbeaten 103 in 137 balls to post a challenging total of 271 for 6 wickets in 50 overs while SL U-17s chasing a target of 272 more..

Dec 8 (FT) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has written to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake with reference to the provisions of the Emergency Regulations, No. 1 of 2025, which were issued on 28 Nov. The Commission expressed its deep sorrow with respect to the national disaster that has arisen in SL as a result of Cyclone Ditwah. It recognised the enormity of the cost to human life and property and acknowledged the difficult path to recovery that Govt of SL has undertaken. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Mrs India Pride of the Nation, one of India’s most respected and purpose-driven platforms for married women, is all set to make its grand international debut with its Season 7 Grand Finale in Colombo, SL. For the first time ever, the iconic pageant will step beyond Indian borders, creating a landmark moment for the platform and strengthening cultural ties between the two nations. The Grand Finale will take place on 11 Dec, at the prestigious ITC Ratnadipa, Colombo, more..

Dec 8 (EN) SL’s railway system was badly damaged by Cyclone Ditwah leaving only two lines operating, General Manager of Railways, Ravindra Padmapriya said, after landslides and torrential rains washed away chunks of tracks and damaged bridges. “After this natural disaster we only had the Coastal line and Kelani Valley line left,” he said. The worst damage was to the Kandy, Badulla & Matale tracks in the hill country. In at least 15 places with the ground blasted from under the track by Cyclone Ditwah. more..

Dec 8 (TM) About 40% of the CEB infrastructure has been damaged in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, CEB Deputy General Manager Noel Priyantha said. Of the 3.9 million consumers who had initially lost power during the severe weather, electricity supply had now been restored to approximately 3.5 million (86%) as of Friday (5). Distribution network suffered the worst impact, with transformers bearing brunt of the damage. more..

Dec 8 (CT) Delays in inspecting buildings that were fully and partially damaged by the disaster have created growing uncertainty over compensation payments and resettlement, as the NBRO reportedly lacked a sufficient number of officers to carry out inspections and had yet to formally enlist external expert assistance. Although 12 lecturers from the Department of Geology at the University of Peradeniya had expressed their willingness to assist with inspections in the Kandy District, more..

Dec 8 (FT) A joint program by the Finance Ministry and the banking sector to provide loan facilities for new entrepreneurs is scheduled for launch in January next year, Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunneththi told Parliament’s Ministerial Consultative Committee recently. The Minister said Rs. 80 billion allocated in the Budget 2026 for entrepreneurial lending will be channelled through this program to ensure more effective and targeted distribution of funds. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Colombo welcomed a new chapter in its urban landscape on 3 December as Unity Plaza revealed SL’s largest outdoor LED digital screen, drawing a distinguished audience that included the Board of Directors and the Management of On’ally Holdings, over 250 invitees, representatives from its international business partner and members of the media. The unveiling signals the completion of Unity Plaza’s ambitious redevelopment journey that began with its relaunch in Nov 2023. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Serendib Flour Mills Ltd, has been recognised with a Merit Award under the Medium-Scale Manufacturing Organisations category at the SL National Quality Awards (SLNQA) 2023, presented by the SL Standards Institution (SLSI), held in November. Serendib Flour Mills’ achievement at SLNQA 2023 reinforces the position of a trusted and progressive player in Sri Lanka’s food manufacturing industry, highlighting the dedication to aligning with international best practices. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) as the regulator has directed all licenced banks to implement a series of relief measures for individuals and businesses whose income or operations were directly affected by the recent cyclonic-related natural disasters. The directive, issued through Circular No. 04 of 2025 on 5 Dec, follows proposals submitted by the SL Banks’ Association and aims to support borrowers more..

Dec 8 (Island) Further to my earlier letter titled, Psychology of Greed and Philosophy for a New World Order (The Island 26.11.2025) it may not be far-fetched to say that the cause of the devastating cyclones that hit Sri Lanka and Indonesia last week could be traced back to human greed. Cyclones of this magnitude are said to be unusual in the equatorial region but, according to experts, the raised sea surface temperatures created the conditions for their occurrence. more..

Dec 8 (CT) At a time when SL and a few countries in Southeast Asia are struggling to recover from a post-cyclonic devastation it is worth spending some thoughts on an issue that lies fundamental to understand why natural disasters have become so frequent in this age of scientific and technological domination over human life. Perhaps because of the increasing frequency of cyclones and other natural disasters that meteorologists and climatologists had started naming these events to differentiate more..

Dec 8 (Island) The number of deaths due to the recent weather disasters reached 627 yesterday. The Opposition has blamed the gov’s poor disaster response for the high death toll. SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has fired another salvo at the govt, accusing it of trying to scapegoat the Meteorological Department officials for its failure to take swift action to save lives despite repeated warnings of the impending disaster. He has said the Met Dept personnel began issuing warnings of more..

Dec 8 (GV) Why was Sri Lanka unprepared for Cyclone Ditwah? This question haunts every survivor, every family member who lost a loved one, every rescue worker who arrived too late. The uncomfortable truth emerging from post-disaster analyses is clear: while the storm itself was tracked and forecasted, Sri Lanka’s warning and response systems failed catastrophically, contributing to a death toll exceeding 470 people and leaving over 1.4 million affected. This was not an act of God more..

Dec 8 (CT) SL’s transport arteries lie fractured after the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah, exposing not only the scale of physical destruction but also long-standing structural weaknesses in disaster preparedness, infrastructure maintenance, and crisis governance. With only 30% of the country’s railway network currently operational, and highway damages now estimated at a staggering Rs 190 billion, the cyclone has delivered one of the harshest more..

Dec 8 (CT) President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) would remember his 58th birthday on Nov 24 for long as the disastrous cyclone Ditwah struck a few days later. Before the cyclone struck, heavy rains in coastal cities and northern highlands flooded the infrastructure and caused landslides. Road and rail communication have been disrupted due to flooding. The inclement weather also resulted in cancel of flights. As the month ended, the cyclone seems to dissipate its energy while more..

Dec 8 (DM) When Cyclone Ditwah swept across SL in late November 2025, the force of nature felt almost unreal. Hundreds of people died, thousands remain unaccounted for, and more than 147,000 were pushed from the places they once called home. Beneath this stark physical destruction, another emergency has unfolded more quietly, and it may take much longer to heal- the toll on older adults. To SL’s elderly, the immediate danger of floods and landslides is just the first blow. more..

Dec 8 (TM) The day Cyclone Ditwah made landfall in Sri Lanka, it extracted a toll that is still unfolding, with numbers of missing and dead continuing to climb with each official accounting. As floodwaters slowly recede and SL assesses the damage caused in the aftermath of the destructive path of the cyclone, it has left behind a nation struggling to wrest some control in the midst of chaos, with questions of State accountability, more..

Dec 8 (CT) SL’s mountains, forests, and rivers are part of a natural heritage that has shaped our civilisation, our culture, and our spirituality for centuries. Yet these landscapes are now being consumed at a pace faster than at any moment in our modern history. The recent outcry over illegal constructions in environmentally fragile zones—from Ambuluwawa to Sri Pada—has once again exposed the deep fractures across our governance system. It is a crisis not merely of policy but of more..

Dec 8 (ST) Amid accusations by sections of the opposition that the disaster brought on by Cyclone Ditwah had rendered it irrelevant in its current form, Budget 2026 was passed in Parliament by a majority of 157 votes on Friday. Many in the opposition ranks were absent when the Third Reading came up for a vote around 7.30pm. Aside from those from the NPP govt, opposition MPs Jeevan Thondaman from the UNP and K. Kader Masthan from the SL Labour Party voted in support of Budget 2026. more..