Dec 9 (FT) Tourism industry has posted a strong opening week for December, welcoming 43,329 visitors in the first seven days of the month despite the disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, reflecting a 5.2% YoY increase. Performance also pushes year-to-date (YTD) arrivals to over 2.14 million, marking a 16.3% growth compared with the same period last year. India continued its lead as SL’s largest tourist source market during the first week of December, contributing 8,890 arrivals, or 21% of the total. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake used his Newsweek interview to outline a reform agenda aimed at dismantling SL’s most controversial security laws and rebuilding trust in the country’s human rights record. He said laws such as the PTA and the Online Safety Act have no place in a democratic system. “These laws have been used as tools of repression. They are out of place in a democracy. We are committed to comprehensive reform. On the PTA, we are committed to repealing and replacing it with more..

Dec 9 (FT) Over 3,200 industries across all categories have so far reported damage from Cyclone Ditwah, according to preliminary data compiled by the Industry Ministry, which stressed that the numbers remain subject to updates as assessments continue. Industrialists have reported losses across 138 large-scale industries, 718 medium-scale industries, 1,134 small-scale industries, 1,009 micro-scale industries, and 285 export-oriented industries. more..

Dec 9 (DM) The legendary Sinharaja rainforest is one of the last remaining vestiges of widespread lowland rainforests that pay homage to an exceptionally concentrated biome consisting of endemic and threatened species. Sinharaja covers unforgiving mountainous terrain of Rakwana hills in the South-Western region of the country and is under constant study in a quest to discover its mysteries. As it is a treasury of biological wealth, the entire region was declared a National Heritage Wilderness Area in 1988 more..

Dec 9 (Island) Some opposition political parties have striven hard to turn the disaster of Cyclone Ditwah to their advantage. A calamity of such unanticipated proportions ought to have enabled all political parties to come together to deal with this tragedy. Failure to do so would indicate both political and moral bankruptcy. The main issue they have forcefully brought up is the govt’s failure to take early action on the Meteorological Dept’s warnings. The Opposition even convened a meeting of more..

Dec 9 (ST) Addressing Parliament this week following stinging public anger regarding his Govt’s inability to effectively mitigate as well as manage the deadly impact of Cyclone Ditwah leaving hundreds dead, thousands displaced and wreaking unprecedented destruction particularly in the Central and Uva Provinces, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake brushed away alarm over the possibility of emergency law being employed against the media, referring to an unnecessary fuss. more..

Dec 9 (CT) As the days following the floods that devastated most of the country continue, we are finding that the harm and destruction of the cyclonic storm extend far beyond what is anticipated. Property, land, infrastructure and human livelihoods are the most apparent, but there’s also the delays that affect the functions of State institutions, and the destruction of critical documents and archives pertinent to people’s lives and the country’s modern history. When teaching about flood preparedness, more..

Dec 9 (CT) The first thing you need to understand about Cyclone Ditwah is that it didn’t just take lives, though it took more than 400, with hundreds still missing. It didn’t just destroy homes, though entire neighbourhoods vanished beneath water that rose faster than anyone could have imagined. What it really did was strip everything down to the absolute essentials, leaving only one question that mattered – who are we when everything else is gone? more..

Dec 9 (GV) On Nov 27 at 9.17 pm I received this SMS message in Sinhala. Special announcement. Due to existing disaster situation, public living in lowlands should be on alert and if needed, go to secure places. Disaster Management Centre (DMC). This message was alarming and also confusing. Which specific areas are referred to as lowlands? What does it mean if needed? What are the secure places that we could go to? How could my parents of 89 and 85 years and many others with limited mobility go more..

Dec 9 (TM) The recent heavy rains, floods and landslides claimed 100s of lives and left scores displaced across the island. Many essential services also stretched thin as communities struggled to cope with yet another extreme weather event. However, amidst the devastation, one thing became immediately clear. That is the remarkable spirit of unity and compassion that Sri Lankans continue to show in times of crisis. From the earliest days of the disaster, ordinary people stepped forward long before more..

Dec 9 (TM) SL, still counting the damage and its dead from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, is trying to clear roads and rebuild homes as the rubble is removed and life tries to return to some normalcy. More than a week after Ditwah tore across the island – its ferocity unmatched in living memory – the country remains in the grip of a humanitarian, economic, and political crisis. Floods and landslides that followed have claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands into temporary shelters. more..

Dec 9 (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 9 (DM) Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, boasts of a history stretching back over 2,500 years, rich with cultural heritage and resilience forged through centuries, including foreign rule from 1505 to 1948. Yet, as the nation moves further from independence, a disquieting question looms: Is the national survival of Sri Lanka fundamentally threatened? The premise that national survival rests on seven crucial pillars National Economy, National Security, National Culture, National Diplomacy, more..

Dec 8 (EN) SL’s Export Development Board (EDB) has begun damage assessments of exporters most affected by Cyclone Ditwah, and will launch a relief and recovery program, it said. “These measures focus on minimizing disruptions to export operations to ensure a steady flow of goods and services to international markets,” EDB said. Efforts are being made to mitigate the adverse impact on production capacity, safeguarding the ability of exporters to maintain output levels, the trade body said. more..

Dec 8 (CT) At least 35 school students and 10 teachers were reported dead in the Kandy District alone as a result of the recent floods and landslides. Director of Education Nihal Alahakoon said one school student had also been killed in the Matale District, while casualty figures from Nuwara Eliya District were still being compiled. He added that there was, as yet, no confirmed data on the number of missing school students and teachers, as field assessments were still ongoing in several more..

Dec 8 (FT) Finance Ministry has announced a wide-ranging financial support program for households and businesses hit by Cyclone Ditwah, as the Govt moves to stabilise communities and prevent deeper economic scarring from the country’s worst natural disaster in years. The relief scheme adds fiscal pressure at a time when the Treasury is attempting to consolidate public finances under the IMF program. more..

Dec 8 (Island) Switzerland has delivered a consignment of essential WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) relief equipment and personnel to support Sri Lanka’s disaster response efforts following recent extreme weather conditions. The cargo, which arrived at the BIA on Saturday (6), was officially handed over by a visiting Swiss WASH Mission delegation led by Mr Martin Bölsterli, Team Leader of the WASH Mission, and Ms Yvonne Josy Müller, Senior Coordinator of the Mission. more..

Dec 8 (CT) A Myanmar Air Force Y-8 transport aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance arrived at the Katunayake Air Force Base on 6 Dec to support displaced communities affected by the ongoing severe weather conditions. The consignment includes sanitation materials, medical supplies, and other essential relief items intended for families impacted by flooding and adverse weather across the island. A delegation from the Govt of Myanmar accompanied the shipment. more..

Dec 8 (FT) International Finance Corporation (IFC) South Asia Regional Director Imad Fakhoury has urged SL to move beyond economic stabilisation and decisively enter a phase of competitive, private sector-led growth, warning that the Govt’s limited fiscal room makes sustained reforms and private capital mobilisation indispensable. Delivering the keynote at the Investment Point of View session of more..

Dec 8 (CT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed officials to prepare the farmers in the Anuradhapura District whose paddy cultivation was destroyed due to floods to re-cultivate during the upcoming Maha Season. Highlighting the need for all relevant institutions to work in proper coordination, treating this as a national necessity, Prez instructed the authorities to provide compensation to farmers without delay and to ensure temporary irrigation water supply more..

Dec 8 (AD) SL Police stated that a telecom service provider has requested the IGP to inform the public about the risk of damage to telecommunication cables that have been exposed in several areas due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions. According to the company, essential communication cables including fiber optic and copper lines have been damaged or exposed in public areas as a result of the severe disaster situation affecting many parts of the island. more..

Dec 8 (DM) Health authorities are facing a massive challenge in preventing spoiled and unsafe food from reaching markets in the aftermath of the recent extreme weather conditions that caused widespread flooding across SL. With livestock farms in several districts washed away or severely damaged, many cattle, goats, pigs, and poultry have reportedly died. This prompts fears that some individuals may attempt to sell meat obtained from dead animals to unsuspecting buyers. more..

Dec 8 (NW) Sri Lanka will receive full support from the United Nations (UN) for recovery and reconstruction following the recent extreme weather disaster, the UN Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Mark Andrew said on Monday. He made the pledge during a meeting with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath at the ministry. Andrew said the UN has decided to provide an initial US$ 4.5 million under its Emergency Response Fund to support immediate relief for affected communities. more..

Dec 8 (CT) More than 100,000 State documents have been damaged due to the recent disaster, according to Director General of the Dept of National Archives Nadeera Rupasinghe. She said records belonging to a wide range of State institutions—including courts, police stations, hospitals, Divisional Secretariats, local authorities, govt depts & schools—have been affected. She warned that decades-old Court records, more..

Dec 8 (DM) Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) have uncovered an illegal racket involving the processing and distribution of flood-damaged rice deemed unfit for consumption in the Harispattuwa area of the Kandy District. According to Pradeep Boralessa, President of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union, officers seized 1,000 kilograms of contaminated rice during the operation. He said inspections and surveillance are continuing nationwide to detect similar fraudulent activities. more..

Dec 8 (Island) A hotel chef was arrested with 15 birds on Saturday (6) in connection with the theft of 32 exotic birds from the Dehiwala National Zoological Garden over two months ago. The suspect, a 24-year-old resident of Nedimala, Dehiwala, was remanded. The birds were taken into custody at the BIA while being smuggled into the country and handed to the Dehiwala Zoo for safekeeping under a court order. On 4 Oct, they were stolen while being in the custody of zoo. more..

Dec 8 (ISland) A major drug consignment with a street value of over Rs. 200 million was seized off the Kalpitiya coast in a coordinated operation by the Navy and the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB). Investigations have revealed that the drug haul belongs to a prominent Lankan trafficker operating from India. Five suspects, including a father and son, are now in custody. PNB chief DIG Ashoka Dharmasena said the operation had been carried out with the help of the Navy. more..

Dec 8 (DM) Approximately 12,000 kilograms of meat stored at a livestock farm in the Anuradhapura District was sealed after authorities found it unfit for human consumption, Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Union said. The stock is believed to have deteriorated due to floodwaters entering the facility and a power outage that disrupted refrigeration. The issue came to light following a complaint lodged with the Disaster Management Hotline (1926), operated under the Health & Media Ministry. more..

Dec 8 (TM) Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is to charge a fee of $50 on all pharmaceutical import applications it receives and assesses, as it had forgone $23,950 in income last year by not charging a fee for each application, NMRA Chairperson Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said. “Last year we received 1,173 applications for sample imports, and out of these, only 694 licences were approved. Previously the fee was only more..

Dec 8 (AD) A special District Coordinating Committee meeting, convened today, to review the damage caused to the agricultural sector in the Nuwara Eliya District due to Cyclone Ditwah and to discuss the urgent measures required at the Nuwara Eliya DS. The meeting was chaired by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with the participation of the relevant responsible officials. Due to adverse weather conditions, a total of 1,421 hectares of vegetable cultivation in the Nuwara Eliya more..

Dec 8 (EN) Sri Lanka’s tea manufacturing capacity has not been harmed by Cyclone Ditwah, even though some tea-growing areas in the Uva and the Central Province were hit, the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association has said. Trading activities at the Colombo Tea Auctions will continue, but with a revised calendar, the private sector tea industry body said. “The damage was largely confined to specific roads, resulting in temporary disruptions to transportation,” it said in a statement. more..