Dec 2 (TM) The deep depression which was located near latitude 12.5°North and longitude 80.5°East, about 320 km North-North-East of Kankesanthurai, is very likely to move Northwards, away from the island and weaken further. Meanwhile, the warning issued earlier advising Naval and fishing communities not to venture into the sea areas around the island, has been withdrawn. Elsewhere, DMC has reported that as of 6 p.m. more..

Dec 2 (FT) Opposition lawmakers yesterday staged a walkout accusing the Govt of refusing to allow a formal discussion on the policy response needed to manage the unfolding disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah which left over 350 dead, 360 missing and 1.1 million people affected by landslides and flooding. The MPs said they would rather assist affected communities than sit through proceedings that, in their view, avoided the central issue of the crisis. Raising the matter in the chamber more..

Dec 2 (FT) Sri Lanka’s national telecom operators, in close coordination with Govt authorities, are intensifying round-the-clock recovery efforts to reconnect communities battered by severe flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah since 27 Nov. The disaster has claimed 334 lives, left nearly 400 people missing or unaccounted for, and affected more than 1.3 million individuals nationwide, with rising river levels prompting evacuation warnings for low-lying areas from the DMC. more..

Dec 2 (DM) Govt has decided to import frozen vegetables that comply with the standards of the Dept of Agriculture, Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi said. He said steps will be taken to publish—through the media—the lists of essential food items and goods submitted by the District Secretaries, in order to identify the difficulties faced by the public in obtaining essential supplies during this disaster situation and to inform the relevant suppliers. more..

Dec 2 (AD) Dept of Railways has announced that main line train services will operate only up to Ambepussa today. It further stated that train services on the Puttalam line will be limited to Kochchikade, while services on the Kelani Valley and Coastal lines are expected to operate as normal. 18 trains on the main line and Puttalam line have been halted due to the inability to access Polgahawela, Rambukkana, Kurunegala, Ganewatta, Chilaw & Puttalam as a result of prevailing adverse weather more..

Dec 2 (FT) The Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund as a statutory mechanism under the Presidential Secretariat to finance the country’s medium- and long-term recovery from Cyclone Ditwah. A public–private Management Committee has been appointed to oversee the mobilisation and allocation of resources for reconstruction. The Fund will integrate both the public & private sectors more..

Dec 2 (FT) Japan’s assessment team which consists of medical professionals and JICA staff arrived in Colombo yesterday and is in discussion with the Ministry of Health on where to deploy the incoming approx. 30 member Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Medical Team. The Embassy and JICA held a kick-off meeting with the Ministry of Health’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Division, attended by the Secretary of Health Dr. Anil Jasinghe, to plan next steps. The team will meet with DPRD more..

Dec 2 (ANI) India has granted rapid clearance for Pakistan's aid flight carrying relief material to cyclonehit Sri Lanka, firmly rejecting baseless and misleading claims circulating in Pakistani media that New Delhi had denied permission to use its airspace. Officials confirmed that the request for overflight was submitted by Pakistan at approximately 1300 hrs (IST) on Monday, seeking same-day permission to fly over Indian airspace. Given the purpose of the request--to provide more..

Dec 2 (FT) Indian PM Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday. PM Modi expressed his condolences on the loss of lives and widespread devastation in SL in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. He also conveyed that the people of India stand in firm solidarity and support with the people of Sri Lanka in this hour of need, according to a statement issued by the Office of the PM of India. Prez Dissanayake conveyed his deep gratitude more..

Dec 2 (NW) SLC has announced that the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will be held from 8th July to 8th August 2026. The new dates for the sixth edition were finalized following the postponement of the tournament, which was originally scheduled to be held in Dec 2025. The postponement was made considering the broader requirement of preparing the Host Venues well in advance for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by SL and India more..

Dec 2 (DN) Mahanayake Theras of the Sangha, Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters stated that all Sri Lankans must set aside ethnic, religious, colour, and party differences and unite to help one another, restore normalcy, and rise stronger in this time of national disaster. Mahanayake Theras expressed their deepest condolences for all lives lost in what they described as the most catastrophic natural disaster to affect the motherland more..

Dec 2 (FT) Govt has introduced measures to streamline the receipt and distribution of humanitarian aid from overseas donors as severe weather continues to disrupt communities across the country. Customs has announced a simplified procedure to ensure faster clearance and delivery of relief consignments. All import duties and related levies on approved donations have been waived to speed up the movement of essential goods to affected regions. more..

Dec 2 (FT) Board of Investment (BOI) confirmed that all FTZs have resumed near-full operations, with only limited disruptions reported in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. “We have successfully kept the impact to a minimum. Only the Thulhiriya zone and a single factory in the Polgahawela zone experienced notable damage,” BOI Chairman Arjuna Herath said. BOI teams worked around the clock to restore electricity and water supply in affected areas, ensuring factories could resume operations more..

Dec 2 (FT) The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) has conveyed its condolences to SL over the loss of life and extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, urging all Commonwealth nations to support the country’s recovery as the scale of devastation continues to unfold. In a statement signed by CWEIC Chairman Lord Marland and Deputy Chairman Lord Swire, the council said: On behalf of the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council, we extend more..

Dec 2 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce issuing a statement expressed its condolences to those affected by Cyclone Ditwah and expressed its commitment to the recovery. It also said SL Economic and Investment Summit will proceed today in a scaled-back format, as The Ceylon Chamber shifts all social-event funding to Cyclone Ditwah relief. Chamber says the Summit will focus on recovery, resilience, and investment priorities as the private sector mobilises support for more..

Dec 2 (FT) Hotels Association of SL (THASL) President Asoka Hettigoda affirmed the tourism industry remains largely resilient despite the disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with roughly 75% of hotel operations across the country functioning normally. “Hotels in Colombo City, the South, deep South and Pasikudah continue to operate with minimal impact, while access roads to Nuwara Eliya are now being cleared for more..

Dec 2 (ST) Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry issued a directive to SriLankan Airlines and all international airlines operating in SL 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 affected passengers to adjust their travel dates with minimal hassle and to introduce a simplified verification process, more..

Dec 2 (FT) National Chamber of Exporters of SL (NCE) has expressed its deep concern over the severe floods that have affected many parts of the country in recent days. The Chamber said: “Our thoughts and heartfelt solidarity are with all Sri Lankans who have been impacted especially the families who have been displaced, as well as businesses and livelihoods that have suffered extensive losses.” The Chamber is currently gathering information on the extent to which more..

Dec 2 (Island) Sri Lanka’s national women’s champion Ranithma Liyanage delivered one of the finest performances of her young career after finishing as the runner-up at the Welsh Int'l Open 2025 in Cardiff. The world No.113 shuttler, who is sponsored by McLarens Group, earned four straight wins before narrowly missing out on the title in a gripping three-set final.‎ ‎Ranithma opened her campaign with a commanding 21–8, 21–11 victory over Natalia Slobodova. more..

Dec 2 (DN) Kamil Mishara and Dushmantha Chameera ended as most successful batsman and bowler of the Sri Lanka team after the Pakistan T-20 Tri series in Rawalpindi. SL lost the final with their batting failure but the positive is young left handed opener Kamil Mishara was the most successful SL batter having made 169 runs in his four matches with back to back fifties in the last two games. The 24-year-old Mishara was not included for the first SL T-20 against Zimbabwe. more..

Dec 2 (ST) Death toll from Cyclone Ditwah rose to 159 as of Saturday, marking one of SL’s worst natural disasters after years; with search operations underway for more than 203 missing persons across SL. Cyclone Ditwah ravaged across the island triggering deadly floods and landslides causing severe hardships to over 833,985. A total of over 120,000 people from 25 districts have been moved to 919 temporary shelters. more..

Dec 2 (Island) SL was one of four Asian countries to be hit by cyclones at virtually the same time. The international media reported that cyclone-fueled downpours battered parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia while Sri Lanka was struck by a separate storm. In those countries too, which are visited more regularly by cyclones than SL, the death toll reached the hundreds. The death toll is presently 365 with a similar number remaining missing. The full scale of the disaster wreaked more..

Dec 2 (CT) Sri Lanka today faces another devastating national tragedy, with Cyclone Dithwa leaving a trail of destruction—loss of lives, missing persons, displaced families, damaged homes, destroyed businesses, and ruined public infrastructure. Yet this moment of national distress has also revealed something fundamentally different: a government that places transparency, accountability, and public trust at the centre of its disaster-relief efforts. more..

Dec 2 (Island) Hope is said to spring eternal. So, when the Opposition urged Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake to declare a state of emergency and offered to cooperate with the govt on disaster management, many may have thought that the NPP and its political rivals would sink their political differences and unite for the sake of the country. But the govt and the Opposition went for each other’s jugular soon afterwards. The Opposition yesterday staged a walkout in Parliament, blaming more..

Dec 2 (SO) As SL emerges from an unprecedented economic crisis and embarks on a path of reform, launch of the National Climate Finance Strategy of SL (2025-2030) marks a defining moment in the country’s development journey. It is a signal that climate action is foundational to national priorities and central to SL’s economic recovery, fiscal reform, and long-term development. Unchecked climate impacts could cost up to 15% of the global GDP by 2050 under 2°C of warming, rising to 30% more..

Dec 2 (TM) Sri Lanka is confronting one of its most disruptive weather events in recent memory, with Cyclonic Storm Ditwah triggering continuous floods, landslides, and widespread displacement across the country. The severity of the crisis has raised urgent questions about the resilience of an economy that only recently began to stabilise after several years of contraction. As the storm cuts across provinces and uproots more..

Dec 2 (CT) When you are prepared, you will not fear is a phrase that has been passed down in several forms and passages throughout history, and for good reason. It is a universal truth relating to the fact that when problems arise and adversity is unavoidable, it is the people who haven’t prepared to face the challenge that are the first to fall to the ground. The same can be said with natural disasters, which are an unavoidable force of nature out of a person’s or govt’s control, regardless of more..

Dec 2 (ST) Opposition fired the first grapeshot of public protest last Friday, resoundingly echoing the ominous grassroots rumblings distinctly heard stemming from the ground. Though the main opposition, the SJB, was conspicuous by its absence, the gathered opposition’s combined roar was loud enough to make the govt alarmingly hear the people’s voice of increasing discontent over its dismal performance. Perhaps, it was also heard by SJB’s leader Sajith Premadasa & still echoes more..

Dec 2 (CT) The stretch of road that climbs gently through Kadugannawa on the main Colombo to Kandy route is one of the most scenic corridors in the country. Many travellers stop there to savour a steaming cup of tea, perhaps with a slice of warm roast bread and a spoonful of spicy kochchi sambol, or to enjoy a portion of ash plantain curry or a hearty stew. It is widely known that people often halt their journeys at these wayside eateries to enjoy more..

Dec 2 (DM) Cyclone Ditwah which created terror during four frightening days finally moved away. It made landfall on Wednesday (26). The death toll is now put at 300, with almost 200 missing, displacing 78,000 and causing enough destruction to bring back vivid memories of the 2004 tsunami. The worst is not over. It lies ahead as an economically crippled country and its tired, dazed population must now cope with the loss of daily livelihoods, damaged homes, disrupted education, healthcare, more..

Dec 2 (DM) Rather than constructing robust systems of preparedness in times of calm, successive administrations have consistently scrambled for solutions only when disaster strikes, leaving citizens to bear the consequences of governmental shortsightedness. Early Thursday morning, as Cyclone Ditwah made landfall and brought renewed devastation to the eastern and central regions of the island nation, this pattern of incompetence repeated itself once again. more..