Death toll from floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka rises, with many still missing

(29 Nov 2025)

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4620882

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Malwana, Sri Lanka - 29 November 2025
1. Various of houses submerged by floodwaters
2. Various of people wading through floodwaters, some on boats
3. Wide of children overlooking floodwaters from house balcony
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maj. Gen. Sampath Kotuweegoda, Director General of Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center: ++STARTS ON SHOT 1++
"Due to the ongoing cyclone situation, a total number of 179, 868 families have been affected, impacting 646, 567 individuals across the country. Tragically, 132 deaths have been reported while 176 people are still missing.”
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Madhawa Madawala, head of Manusath Derana aid organization: ++PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOTS 6 AND 7+
“With the help of the people, volunteers, we are collecting dry rations and other supplementary items to be distributed among affected people. There are about more than 200,000 people affect due to floods."
6. Various of people sorting aid at collection center
7. Wide of volunteers loading truck with aid
8. Various of people preparing food to be distributed to those affected by flooding
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rishan Hamed, president of Nabiviya Youth Islamic Organization: ++STARTS ON SHOT 8 AND PARTIALLY OVERLAID BY SHOT 10++
“Now every disaster we get together and the immediate step is to feed them. So we feed at least, each meal, over 2,500 meals we are serving. So, the affected families are over 5,000, but still we feed according to the capacity that we have.”
10. Various of people preparing food
STORYLINE:
The death toll from heavy floods and mudslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka rose to 132, with 176 people still missing, authorities said Saturday.

Nearly 78,000 people have been displaced and are in temporary shelters, the South Asian country's disaster management center said.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Sri Lanka has been battered by severe weather since last week.

Conditions worsened Thursday, with heavy downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides mainly in the tea-growing central hill country.

Organizations and volunteers were working to prepare meals and collect dry goods for those who were impacted by the floods.

President of Nabiviya Youth Islamic Organization, Rishan Hamed, said their organization was making more than 2,500 meals for people affected in the area.

The government closed schools and offices and postponed examinations.

Most reservoirs and rivers have overflowed, blocking roads.

Authorities stopped passenger trains and closed roads in many parts of the country after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks.

By Friday, water flowing downstream from severely affected areas began to inundate areas around the capital, Colombo, which experienced comparatively less rainfall.

Authorities say that Ditwah, which developed in the seas east of Sri Lanka, is likely to move toward India's southern coast by Sunday.

Neighboring India dispatched two search and rescue teams, comprising 80 rescuers, and sent aid to support ongoing operations, the country's embassy in Colombo said Saturday.

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