Ooredoo Maldives has enabled free calls to Sri Lanka for 24 hours, as the neighbouring country, where many Maldivians reside grapples with severe weather conditions.
In a statement on Friday, Ooredoo said it will be enabling free calls to Sri Lanka for 24 hours in a move aimed at helping people in the Maldives check on the safety and well-being of their friends and family in Sri Lanka during this difficult period.
In this regard, Ooredoo detailed that customers will be able to make calls to Sri Lanka with the first 5 minutes completely free per call session for the next 24 hours.
Ooredoo affirmed its commitment to supporting the community during challenging times and will continue to provide relief measures that help keep people connected when it matters most.
The High Commissioner of Maldives to Sri Lanka Masood Imad has confirmed that the High Commission has not received any reports of injuries to a Maldivian so far amidst a deadly cyclone in the neighbouring country which has claimed the lives of at least 56 people.
Sri Lanka began grappling with severe weather last week, and the conditions worsened on Thursday with heavy downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads, and triggered landslides as Cyclone Ditwah swept across the country. 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, which were also flooded in some areas. Flights bound for Sri Lanka have also been diverted to India.
The death toll from floods and landslides has risen to 56, and at least 49 people remain missing. As the weather conditions grew worse, the government announced the closing of all government offices and schools on Friday.