Attachments
INTRODUCTION
Housing damage remains a primary structural barrier to sustained return in Kandy District. As of 25 January 2026, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) recorded 1,933 houses fully damaged and 17,350 partially damaged in Kandy, compared with 176 fully damaged and 2,539 partially damaged houses reported on 3 December, indicating a substantial upward revision as assessments progressed and verification mechanisms expanded. The scale of partial damage in particular suggests that a significant proportion of households may have returned to structurally compromised dwellings, potentially resulting in precarious or reversible return conditions.
Hazard exposure remains dynamic. DMC reporting notes that affected figures are subject to change due to landslide warnings issued by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI), reflecting ongoing environmental risk in upland and estate areas. In early January 2026, NBRI issued “Red Notice” evacuation advice for high-risk locations including Udadumbara, underscoring that secondary displacement risk remains active. Wider recovery dynamics are further shaped by infrastructure and livelihood pressures. Kandy is estimated to be the hardest-hit district nationally, with direct physical damages estimated at USD $689 million, primarily attributable to flooding and, to a lesser extent, landslides. Reported impacts to roads, bridges, and water supply networks indicate potential constraints on service restoration, market access, and repair timelines. Protection and sectoral considerations further influence return sustainability, specifically WASH deficiencies and security and accessibility gaps affecting women, girls, and persons with disabilities. UNDP’s RAPIDA assessment reported (93%) livelihood impacts, underscoring income recovery as a central determinant of durable return.
In this context, a DS-level follow-up monitoring assessment is required to quantify displacement outside formal centres, identify divisions where returns remain partial, delayed, or reversible due to housing damage and landslide risk, and clarify which WASH, protection, and livelihood constraints most significantly affect recovery trajectories and assistance prioritization.