Dec 11 (TM) Land and Irrigation Ministry stated the relevant irrigation officials took all possible steps to manage reservoir systems well during the heavy rainfall brought on by Cyclone Ditwah, both by protecting the reservoirs and minimising any harm caused to nearby communities. The remarks come amid allegations that water was not released early enough and that sluice gates were later opened suddenly without giving more..

Dec 11 (DM) All major rivers across the country are flowing at normal levels with no risk of minor or major flooding, according to the latest hydrology update issued at 6.30 am today (11). Hydrology & Disaster Management Division reports that key river basins—including the Kelani, Kalu, Mahaweli, Gin, Nilwala and Walawe—remain well below their respective flood alert thresholds. Water level readings taken between 5 am and 6 am confirmed stable conditions, with only slight more..

Dec 11 (Island) Jaffna High Court yesterday ordered former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa to present evidence of alleged threats to his life, after he failed to appear in court for the hearing of the case concerning the abduction of brothers Lalith Kumar Veeraraju and Kugan Muruganandan 14 years ago. The court set 06 February, 2026, as the date for him to submit details regarding these threats. The case, which marks over a decade of legal proceedings into enforced disappearances in Jaffna, more..

Dec 11 (DM) The insurance companies in SL have mobilised swiftly to provide relief following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with the authorities confirming that the compensation payments for minor property damage have already begun. Insurance Regulatory Commission of SL convened a meeting with all insurers to establish a mechanism for supporting the affected businesses and property owners, according to Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma. more..

Dec 11 (NW) An individual who allegedly threw a bag of waste onto the Colombo–Katunayake Expressway has been arrested by the Seeduwa Police. The incident occurred this evening (10) near the 19 km post of the expressway, when mobile patrol officers observed the driver of a passenger van travelling from Colombo toward Katunayake throwing a waste-filled bag onto the highway. Following the observation, officers notified the Seeduwa sub-station, which subsequently arrested suspect more..

Dec 11 (CT) The economic fallout from the recent adverse weather conditions has begun to impact consumers severely, with vegetable prices fluctuating wildly across the market. Traders at the Colombo Manning Market attribute these severe disruptions directly to the prevailing adverse weather conditions following Cyclone Ditwah. They noted that the market is currently receiving less than 40% of its typical daily vegetable stocks more..

Dec 11 (ST) A JICA-funded project to install a Doppler radar – a vital weather forecasting instrument – is expected to be finished by 2027 after years of delays. A Doppler radar uses waves to detect precipitation, while also measuring its movement and speed, revealing wind direction and intensity, etc, giving meteorologists vital information for severe weather warnings. Sunday Times first reported in 2017 that JICA has agreed to fund the procurement and installation of two Doppler more..

Dec 11 (NW) SL Police has issued a clarification regarding a video circulating on social media which claims that residents of Mandaramnuwara protested against the Mandaramnuwara Police during a relief distribution operation. The video has been shared alongside misleading interpretations suggesting that the police had clashed with residents or interfered with aid distribution. The clarification follows an internal report obtained from the OIC of the Mandaramnuwara Police. more..

Dec 11 (DN) Two promising cricketers Sharujan Shanmuganathan of Tamil Union and Pulindu Perera of Nugegoda SC came to the highlight when they scored their maiden first class centuries in the opening week of the Major Cub 3-day cricket tournament conducted by SLC. Both Sharujan and Pulindu were at the same U-19 National team which participated in last year’s Asia Cup as well as World Cup. Two potential batsmen Sharujan from St. Benedict’s College Kotahena and more..

Dec 11 (CT) Mora Racing, a leading SL Karting Team, proudly announces its significant strides in developing motorsports talent from the entry-level to international formula racing. The team, whose name Mora (meaning shark in Sinhalese) was chosen to give the team a distinct local identity while competing globally, was founded in 2023 following the post-covid reintroduction of karting in Sri Lanka. The foundation of the team was built on expertise in two-stroke engine mechanics, more..

Dec 11 (FT) SL’s tax exemptions and concessions reached Rs. 285.7 billion in the first six months of 2025, equal to 57% of the total tax expenditure recorded since April 2023, according to the latest Tax Expenditure Statement published by Ministry of Finance in November. Data shows that the scale of foregone revenue remains substantial despite efforts to broaden the tax base and meet revenue objectives under economic recovery program. more..

Dec 11 (DN) SL Under-19 skipper Vimath Dinsara says the upcoming Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai will be an ideal buildup for the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup. The tournament begins tomorrow and continues until the 21st, while the World Cup is scheduled from January 15 to February 6 in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Sri Lanka, five-time runners-up in the Asia Cup, have never won the title. Dinsara believes this is the moment to claim their maiden c'ship ahead of the World Cup. more..

Dec 11 (FT) London-based The Financial Times publication The Banker magazine has honoured Hatton National Bank (HNB) with the prestigious Bracken Award as the Bank of the Year SL 2025. This recognition was based on the bank’s strength and its position as one of the country’s most resilient and future-focused financial institutions. Annual awards by The Banker evaluate global banks on financial strength, innovation, governance & long-term strategic performance. more..

Dec 11 (FT) Export Development Board (EDB) of SL is set to organise the country’s largest-ever Business-to-Business (B2B) pavilion at the prestigious Gulfood International Trade Fair 2026, scheduled to take place from 26-30 January 2026, in Dubai, UAE. A special media briefing was held today at the Export Development Board (EDB), presided over by EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe concurrent with the pre-fair workshop held to inform exporters participating in the exhibition. more..

Dec 11 (FT) Hemas Holdings PLC has been recognised among Forbes Asia’s 200 Best Under A Billion companies for 2025, ranking as one of the region’s top performing organisations. Selected from over 19,000 organisations, this recognition highlights businesses with under $ 1 billion in revenue that demonstrate consistent growth, innovation, and stability. The ranking reflects Hemas’ consistency in generating long-term value for shareholders over the last three years. more..

Dec 11 (FT) With Ditwah Cyclone adding tremendous strain on the Govt to maintain its fiscal discipline while supporting the economy’s recovery, Finance, Planning & Economic Dev. Ministry said it has initiated a renewed effort to expand the country’s tax net to ensure 2028 tax revenue targets are met. It aims to do this by simplifying processes, improving public awareness, and strengthening institutional commitment & capacity. more..

Dec 11 (TM) SL’s preparation for the Asian Regional Qualification round ahead of guaranteeing its place at the 17th edition of the 16-team Netball World Cup to be held in Australia in 2027, has hit a roadblock. This stems over Sports Ministry’s failure to expedite the election of office bearers to the game’s local ruling body, since taking over its governance aspect last August. Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage suspended the registration of Netball Federation of SL (NFSL) in July this year, more..

Dec 11 (ST) SL’s long-promised tariff overhaul pitched as a turning point for trade competitiveness has entered a complicated, politically fraught phase. While the govt has recommitted to dismantling para-tariffs under the National Tariff Policy (NTP), the economic stakes are rising, and a once-discussed plan to reduce tariffs on selected US imports to zero has quietly disappeared from official discourse. The reforms revolve around eliminating three major para-tariffs: Special Commodity Levy (SCL), more..

Dec 11 (NW) SL Police are seeking public assistance to apprehend a serial ATM card fraud suspect believed to be operating across various parts of the island. The appeal follows a recent incident reported at Kalutara South Police Station where a man was defrauded of LKR 200,000. The victim, a resident of Polonnaruwa, filed a complaint stating that on Aug 19, he approached an ATM in Kalutara city to withdraw cash. He accepted help from an unknown individual who was present more..

Dec 11 (ST) Flood victims in Colombo and suburbs are grappling with a multitude of issues as they return to their homes, with some of them not only losing their belongings but also their livelihoods. The lack of an effective distribution mechanism to distribute relief was visible when we visited some of the areas hit by the flooding. In some areas in the interior there was no food or drinking water, while some of those living closer to the main road seemed to be having a better supply of relief goods. more..

Dec 11 (ST) As the country grapples with the aftermath of floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah, allegations of negligence and preparedness mismanagement are being levelled against the govt agencies tasked with monitoring and managing disaster situations. Contradicting reports and statements have been made by Meteorology Dept, Disaster Management Centre and Irrigation Dept, main institutions more..

Dec 11 (Island) Opposition has blamed the severity of recent floods that devastated many areas, such as Gampola, on the controversial appointment of some engineers loyal to the NPP govt to oversee the Kotmale reservoir in place of senior, experienced engineering professionals who could have responded to emergencies swiftly. It has claimed that if the experienced officials had been allowed to operate the reservoir, they would have begun releasing water early to prevent flash floods, more..

Dec 11 (DM) One lesson taught by Cyclone Ditwah is that people need to respect the environment more. With the high demand for real estate, people are convinced to purchase locations with the best view, proximity to the nearest town and other features often ignoring the sensitivity of these locations. Most high risk landslide-prone areas are in close proximity to forest reserves. The demarcation of boundaries and the use of such lands for commercial purposes have been politically driven. more..

Dec 11 (CT) SL rarely lacks crises, but Cyclone Ditwah has forced upon the nation a reckoning of an altogether different magnitude. In a candid and unusually forthright interview with Newsweek, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake laid bare the devastating convergence of climate catastrophe and economic fragility that now defines the country’s present. His words carried not merely the weight of loss, but the burden of a State searching for a new grammar of survival in a changing world. more..

Dec 11 (ST) For days, if not weeks, SL has been under siege due to climate changes that caused death and devastation, as the world now knows. It was a tsunami of a different kind—different from the real tsunami we encountered two decades ago. The loss of life then was decidedly more than what the nation suffered in the past ten days or so during the Cyclone Ditwah disaster, though the death toll possibly could rise as destroyed buildings, houses and other infrastructure are cleared and more..

Dec 11 (TM) In the aftermath of the communications outage that occurred during the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, Govt is planning to introduce changes to the national communications architecture, it is learnt. DMC Director Chathura Liyanaarachchi said: “We propose mandatory national standards for telecom operators to reinforce tower bases and use fortified fibre optic conduits. It is critical to have dedicated & guaranteed more..

Dec 11 (DM) The world’s worst cyclone-hit countries are mainly in South and Southeast Asia – Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Now Sri Lanka and Thailand too, are in that sombre list. The Bhola Cyclone killed an estimated 300,000-500,000 people in Bangladesh back in 1970. India, Vietnam and the Philippines too, have suffered tremendously from cyclones. But all these countries are far more strong economically now than Sri Lanka. more..

Dec 11 (CT) When cyclone Ditwah unleashed some of the most intense rainfall Sri Lanka has ever recorded, the national conversation swiftly narrowed into a familiar political ritual. Who warned whom. Who should’ve known earlier. Who failed to act. The debate collapsed into meteorology, as if a different phrasing of a weather bulletin could’ve stopped a billion cubic metres of runoff or prevented hundreds of landslides. Ditwah wasn’t a forecasting failure. Cyclone exposed a disaster architecture more..

Dec 11 (CT) The hill country of SL, a region long prone to landslides and accidents, was caught off guard when Cyclone Ditwah struck, unleashing heavy rains that wiped out homes and lives in an instant. The scale of the tragedy is unprecedented, with entire communities plunged into mourning that shows no signs of easing. Already living below the poverty line and facing daily hardships, the affected population — comprising plantation Tamils, more..

Dec 11 (TM) In the aftermath of the recent natural disasters that hit SL, various forms of criticism have emerged against the Govt and key weather and disaster related agencies such as the Met Dept and the Disaster Management Centre. Opposition parties and certain social activists argue that these institutions have failed to issue adequate warnings and did not respond swiftly enough to mitigate the destruction caused by cyclone Ditwah. Some have gone so far as to call for legal action, more..

Dec 11 (Island) Sri Lanka has faced one of the most devastating natural disasters in its post-independence history. Cyclone Ditwah, with its torrential rains, landslides, flash floods, and widespread displacement, has left an imprint on the nation that will be remembered for decades. While rescue teams continue to work tirelessly and communities rush to rebuild shattered homes and infrastructure, the nation’s disaster assessment is evolving by the day. more..