Humanitarian aid in Sri Lanka
People are in desperate need after Cyclone Ditwah caused severe damage across Sri Lanka in late-November 2025.
Last updated 16 December 2025
Sri Lanka was hit by Cyclone Ditwah on 28 November 2025 with catastrophic rainfall and severe flooding sweeping the entire island.
More than one million people have been affected by this disaster. More than 400 people have been killed and hundreds are reported missing.
Thousands of homes have been destroyed and key bridges and roads have been damaged. More than 200,000 people have been forced to seek shelter in crowded safety centres.
Staff and more than 3,500 volunteers from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society are on the ground supporting with first aid and essential supplies.
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Donate to the Disaster Fund todaySri Lanka and Cyclone Ditwah – Key Facts
- Cyclone Ditwah reached Sri Lanka on 28 November after intensifying from a low-pressure system which had formed in the Bay of Bengal on 25 November 2025.
- More than 200,000 people have been forced from their homes by damage and flooding.
- Tens of thousands of houses have been damaged or destroyed by floodwaters and landslides.
- More than 400 people have been killed and more than 350 reported missing.
- Flooding has destroyed crops and disrupted supply chains across the country, making essential food items harder for people to access.
- Critical infrastructure, bridges, hundreds of roads and electricity and communication networks have been damaged or destroyed.
- Around 1,500 government-run safety centres are currently sheltering thousands of families who have been left without homes.
- Thousands of volunteers from all 25 districts of Sri Lanka have been deployed to provide first aid and distribute food, drinking water, clothing, bedding and urgent hygiene supplies.
- Health officials have raised concerns about outbreaks of leptospirosis, diarrhoea, chikungunya, dengue and various skin infections in the aftermath of floods.
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement response
The Government of Sri Lanka has declared a nationwide state of emergency in response to Cyclone Ditwah.
The situation in Sri Lanka is still changing and the full scale of the cyclone’s impact is still emerging.
Despite the challenges, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society is delivering first aid and essential aid to people in need.
Together, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society are supporting people on the ground with:
- First aid services in safety centres
- Evacuation from flooded areas and help reuniting families
- Cash grants to help people with food, healthcare and transportation
- Essential household items like bedding and cooking equipment
- Hygiene kits portable sanitation facilities
- Drinking water, food and water purification tablets
When disaster strikes, whether its conflict or a natural disaster, the Red Cross is there for people.
Your donation to the Disaster Fund enables us to respond quickly, delivering vital aid and relief when it’s needed most.
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