Attachments
Highlights
- Over 1.2 million people, including 527,000 children, need humanitarian assistance due to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka on 28 November 2025.
- UNICEF and partners reached over 107,000 people—including 75,000 children—across 25 districts with emergency assistance. This included education support for more than 69,000 children, child protection services for 3,800 children, critical WASH supplies for 49,600 people, and nutrition supplies and services for 6,100 people.
- UNICEF procured 55 essential items valued at US$ 661,572. The largest procurement was for WASH (28 items worth US$ 233,012), followed by Education (22 items worth US$ 218,118) and Child Survival and Development (5 items worth US$ 210,441). Additional WASH supplies valued at US$ 150,713 and Education supplies valued at US$ 135,714 are in the pipeline for delivery in early January 2026.
- UNICEF requires US$ 7.8 million to provide immediate, life-saving support to children and families affected by the floods. As of 30 December, US$ 3.5 million has been received and US$ 2.6 million has been pledged.
Situation in Numbers
1.2 million People in Need
526,609 Children in Need
1,339 Schools impacted
576,936 UNICEF people targeted
340,450 UNICEF children targeted
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on the East coast of Sri Lanka on 28 November 2025, causing widespread floods and deadly landslides across the nation. The Humanitarian Priorities Plans (HPP) indicates over 2.2 million people were affected and estimates 1.2 million people in need of assistance. UNICEF projects that among them are almost 527,000 children.
As of 29 December, 638 people are reported to have died while 175 people remain missing. Some 34,173 people remain displaced in 358 safety centers, while 267,700 people remain with host families.
As rains continue, certain areas remain at risk of further landslides. For example, the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has stated that nearly 68 per cent of the total land area in the Badulla District is at varying levels of landslide risk.
The Joint Rapid Needs Assessment (Phase II), 5 led by the Government with humanitarian partners, underscores severe sectoral impacts and identifies urgent priorities.