Nearly all communities hit by Cyclone Ditwah suffer infrastructure damage, UNDP finds

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An aerial view of submerged buildings in a flooded area caused by heavy rainfall following Cyclone Ditwah in Niyamgamdora, Sri Lanka, December 2, 2025 -Akila Jayawardena/Reuters/File

COLOMBO – Nearly all communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka suffered damage to homes, roads and other critical infrastructure, according to a new assessment released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Wednesday (14), highlighting the scale of recovery needs and the urgency of accessible financing for vulnerable populations.

The qualitative assessment, conducted across 85 divisional secretariat divisions in the 22 worst-affected districts, found that 95% of respondents reported damage to residential, transport, industrial or community infrastructure in their areas. Housing and road networks were the most frequently cited sectors affected.

The assessment was based on key informant interviews with 510 local government officials, business leaders and community representatives.

Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka on November 26, 2025, is the country’s deadliest disaster since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. An earlier UNDP geospatial analysis released in December 2025 estimated that floodwaters inundated nearly 20% of the country’s land area, exposing approximately 2.3 million people. The latest findings point to deep and widespread recovery challenges, with many communities lacking the materials, labour and financing needed to rebuild.

UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Azusa Kubota welcomed the government’s announcement of LKR 95 billion in support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including a 3% concessional loan scheme, describing it as a critical step towards accelerating recovery.

“At the same time, it is essential that we prioritise support for those operating outside formal systems, who often remain unseen yet form the backbone of the local economy,” Kubota said.

She noted that the Rapid Assessment for Post-Impact Development Analysis (RAPIDA) underscored the need to move beyond short-term humanitarian assistance towards early recovery and resilience-building. “This is vital to ensure vulnerable populations do not fall back into poverty and become trapped in a recurring cycle of disaster and loss,” she said, stressing the importance of targeted support for the informal sector.

The assessment also revealed widespread economic disruption, with 93% of respondents reporting impacts on livelihoods in their areas. Crop and livestock losses, job losses and business closures were among the most commonly cited challenges, particularly within the informal sector, which employs a significant share of Sri Lanka’s workforce.

Key recovery priorities identified include support for micro-enterprises, access to low-interest loans and capital for small businesses to rebuild infrastructure and replenish stocks.

More than half of respondents said vulnerable groups, including older persons, people with disabilities and female-headed households, were among those most affected. Government assistance was the most commonly reported coping mechanism, cited by 76% of respondents, followed by support from international organizations at 45% and informal lending at 40%. UNDP noted that these trends point to rising household debt stress, with potential implications for household welfare and the pace of recovery among micro and small enterprises.

Respondents also highlighted shortages of construction materials, limited availability of skilled labour and funding constraints as major barriers to rebuilding damaged infrastructure. Delays in approvals and weak institutional coordination were cited as factors slowing recovery efforts.

Environmental and public health concerns were also raised, with reports of water contamination, soil erosion and damage to ecosystems, signalling longer-term climate and health risks.

UNDP said the findings underline the need for sustained support to restore infrastructure and livelihoods, particularly for informal workers and small businesses, while strengthening climate and disaster resilience as Sri Lanka transitions from emergency relief to recovery and reconstruction.

-ENCL

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