COLOMBO: Cyclone Ditwah swept northward across Sri Lanka on Friday, leaving 46 people dead and 23 missing amid widespread floods, with torrential rain and strong winds expected to cause more flooding in the next 12 hours.
Most deaths were caused by landslides triggered by more than 300mm (12 inches) of rainfall in the eastern and central regions, according to officials.
Nearly 44,000 people were affected nationwide, and many sought refuge in schools and public shelters, according to the Disaster Management Center (DMC).
The Irrigation Department said it expected the floods that have already affected countless areas across southern and eastern Sri Lanka, including many parts of the capital, Colombo, to spread even further.
The Colombo Stock Exchange halted trading early, and schools and train services remained suspended. Military and police coordinated evacuations, including the airlifting of 13 people trapped on a bridge in Polonnaruwa, 220 km northeast of Colombo, the air force said.
Numerous families trapped on rooftops and one man stranded on top of a coconut tree were also airlifted to safety, air force footage released to media showed.
Heavy rains disrupted operations at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), forcing the diversion of 15 flights to airports including Trivandrum and Cochin in south India, Sri Lanka’s Airport and Aviation Services said.
India delivered 6.5 metric tons of food aid to assist in relief efforts, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said as Cyclone Ditwah moved across Sri Lanka toward southern India.
Over 20,000 police and military stepped up evacuations in multiple towns including the outskirts of Sri Lanka’s largest city Colombo, after authorities warned of rising flood waters.
“Strong winds are making the floods worse. We removed furniture from two nearby houses to a safer area, and now I’m going to the shelter to stay with the rest of my family,” said Mohammed Rumy, a 70-year-old resident of Colombo’s Wellampitiya suburb.
Sri Lanka braces for more flooding as Cyclone Ditwah claims 46 lives
https://arab.news/4j2ga
Sri Lanka braces for more flooding as Cyclone Ditwah claims 46 lives
- Most deaths were caused by landslides triggered by more than 300mm of rainfall
- Nearly 44,000 people were affected nationwide, and many sought refuge in schools and public shelters
At least three dead as migrant boat capsizes off Greek island
- An accident occurred when the vessel approached the migrants’ wooden boat
- The search for survivors was continuing with four patrol boats
ATHENS: The bodies of three migrants were picked up in waters off the Greek island of Crete during a rescue effort involving a commercial ship, authorities said Friday.
Twenty migrants were rescued by the commercial vessel which was directed to the area on the orders of the Greek Search and Rescue Center.
According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, an accident occurred when the vessel approached the migrants’ wooden boat. As the passengers tried to climb up ladders into the vessel a sudden movement caused the small boat to capsize.
The search for survivors was continuing with four patrol boats, an aircraft, and two ships from the European border agency Frontex, a spokesperson for the Greek coast guard told AFP.
According to ERT, survivors said about 50 people were aboard the wooden boat.
A second boat carrying around forty migrants was spotted in the area, triggering another rescue operation.
For over a year, migrants have been attempting the perilous crossing from Libya to Crete, the gateway to the European Union.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 16,770 people seeking asylum in the EU arrived in Crete in 2025.
Faced with the surge in arrivals, the conservative Greek government suspended the processing of asylum applications for three months last summer, particularly for those arriving from Libya.
UNHCR says 107 people died or went missing in Greek waters in 2025.
