Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah - Situation Report No. 10 (As of 20 March 2026)

This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator Sri Lanka in collaboration with humanitarian partners and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. It covers the period from 6th March to 20th March 2026.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 259,000 people have been reached by the Humanitarian Priority Plan (HPP) response to date, implemented by 68 partner organizations across 25 Districts. Most of the people reached are female and 5200 are Persons with Disabilities. The 5W online dashboard serves as a repository for all response interventions.

• Displacement has declined from peak levels, however more than 149,000 people remain with host families or at other locations. Safety centres have reduced to 31, hosting 950 families in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kegalle Districts.

• Emerging patterns indicate that the most vulnerable, including estate communities and those relying on informal or unrecognized livelihoods, landholding or housing, remain disproportionally impacted and may remain outside some of the assistance schemes.

• Tent-based camps are being established or planned in Badulla, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya. The HCT is liaising with authorities to gain further information and provide adequate, multi-sectoral support as needed. Capacity-development support on temporary site planning, coordination and management is ongoing. Shelter Cluster coordination meetings are now held alternately in Colombo and affected districts to facilitate closer engagement and ensure active participation from district authorities.

• Land assessments for safe return and resettlement remain a key bottleneck. According to recent Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) assessments in Nuwara Eliya district, thousands of people continue to reside in NBRIdesignated high-risk zones and are considered displaced by authorities due to ongoing exposure to landslide and structural hazards, highlighting the urgent need for safe relocation.

• Global supply chain disruptions and rising fuel and energy prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, risk placing pressure on Sri Lanka’s economy and household welfare, including for those still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The HCT is monitoring the situation and has started preparing mitigation measures.

• Out of the required funding of US$35.3 million to implement the HPP, US$23.4 million has been pledged or received to date. Underfunded sectors remain Health, Agriculture, Early Recovery and Nutrition.

• At the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Humanitarian Country Team launched the HPP on 11 December 2025 to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable people affected by cyclone Ditwah between December 2025 and April 2026.

1.2M Affected people

658K Targeted for assistance

646 Fatalities

114K Damaged houses partially/fully

233K Displaced at its peak

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Cyclone Ditwah has triggered the most extensive flooding and landslide damage in the past two decades in Sri Lanka, impacting approximately 2.2 million people across all 25 districts of the country. According to the Disaster Management Center, the cyclone had, as of 29 December 2025, resulted in 646 fatalities and left 173 people missing. Findings from the Joint Rapid Needs Assessment – Phase II, conducted by the Government in collaboration with humanitarian partners, highlight critical sectoral impact and priorities.

While displacement has declined from peak levels, more than,149, 000 people remain displaced, staying with host families or in other locations, indicating emerging protracted and dispersed displacement patterns.

Safety centres have reduced to 31, hosting over 950 families in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kegalle Districts. However, with most affected people now living with host families or within communities, supporting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, has become more complex. In remaining centres, critical gaps persist in child-friendly spaces, safe spaces for women and girls, mental health and psychosocial support and access to dignity items.

Recent Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) assessments in Badulla and Nuwara Eliya districts indicate evolving displacement patterns and ongoing recovery challenges following Cyclone Ditwah. In Badulla, displacement remains notable despite gradual returns, with some families unable to return due to housing damage and landslide risks, highlighting the need for safe relocation. In Nuwara Eliya, while an estimated 45,333 individuals were displaced during the initial phase, displacement has reduced to approximately 1,798 people as of early March, including those in safety centres and with host families. However, thousands of people continue to reside in NBRI-designated high-risk zones and are considered displaced by authorities due to ongoing exposure to landslide and structural hazards, highlighting the urgent need for safe relocation. Shelter Cluster coordination meetings are now conducted alternately in Colombo and affected districts to enhance engagement and ensure active participation from district authorities. The most recent meeting in Badulla was attended by the newly appointed District Secretary and DMC officials. This approach strengthens collaboration, fosters a shared understanding of key shelter, land, and site issues, and supports a smooth transition at the conclusion of the HPP. Across both districts, key barriers to sustainable return include unsafe and structurally compromised housing, limited financial resources, and ongoing landslide risks. This underscores the need for structured and risk-informed transition to durable solutions.

The National Building and Research Institute (NBRI) has issued official guidelines for the resettlement of families whose homes were fully destroyed by floods, landslides, or other disasters, as well as those identified as living in high-risk landslide zones due to Cyclone Ditwah. The NDRSC has published the resettlement and evacuation lists. The NBRI remains under-resourced, and the UN has developed a joint proposal for essential capacities for advanced drone-based hazard mapping, on-site engineering inspections, and ready-to-use slope stabilization designs to accelerate land clearance and enable safe reconstruction.

On 5 March 2026, the Presidential Task Force for Rebuilding Sri Lanka met under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya to oversee recovery and reconstruction efforts following Cyclone Ditwah. The Prime Minister stressed the need to prioritize individuals residing in displacement camps as part of the housing initiative for those whose homes have been affected. The Prime Minister also highlighted the potential social issues that may emerge if these individuals remain in the displacement camps. A full assessment of affected housing and infrastructure is expected by end-March

A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) to estimate damages, losses, and short- and long-term recovery needs, based on the build back better principle, has been undertaken by the Government with support from the UN, the European Union, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The findings are currently being validated and finalized, and the full report, including details on damage, losses, and recovery needs, as well as the recovery strategy, is expected to be released by the end of the month.

Global supply chain disruptions and rising fuel and energy prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, risk placing pressure on Sri Lanka’s economy and household welfare, including for those still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Authorities have introduced a series of measures to manage fuel reserves while maintaining essential services. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East could deepen several interconnected risk factors for already vulnerable populations, through increased cost for fuel, cooking gas and basic commodities as well as disruptions to earnings and livelihoods, including from tourism and remittances. There are also risks to food security, particularly if fertilizer costs remain high and transport becomes more expensive. The HCT is monitoring the situation and will prepare measures including prioritization of activities and advocacy for access to fuel for implementing partners.