Cyclone Ditwah has battered Sri Lanka, disrupting electricity across the country and leaving 200,000 people without power.  
According to Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Deputy General Manager Noel Priyantha, about 25 percent of the CEB’s seven million customers were affected. While efforts are underway to restore electricity service, the storm has made it difficult to do so.  
The largest number of household power outages were reported in the Central Province, where more than 20,000 cases were recorded. The Ceylon Electricity Board deployed a 9,000-strong technical team to restore power, but due to damaged roads, full restoration will take time, Priyantha added.  
A house partially submerged by floods stands in an area affected by flood, following heavy rainfall in Malwana, Sri Lanka, November 29, 2025. (Reuters Photo/Thilina Kaluthotage)
The death toll in Sri Lanka has now risen to 153, with floods and landslides reported in several regions. Nearly 191 people remain missing, according to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre. The government has declared a state of emergency, and international aid, including India’s Operation Sagar Bandhu, is being mobilized to assist.  
The cyclone, which formed near Sri Lanka in the Bay of Bengal, is now moving towards northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall, strong winds, and rough sea conditions.  
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have set up 6,000 relief camps, cancelled flights, and closed schools across several districts. The storm is expected to make landfall by early morning on November 30, with heavy rains forecast in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, and Villupuram, and flooding risks in coastal areas.  
India has rushed emergency assistance to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, with a C-130J aircraft carrying 12 tonnes of humanitarian supplies landing in Colombo on Saturday. The consignment included tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, and ready-to-eat food, while earlier deliveries by Indian Naval Ships INS Vikrant and INS Udaygiri brought dry rations and fresh supplies. In addition, the Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have deployed personnel and equipment to support search, rescue, and relief operations. Sri Lankan leaders publicly thanked India for its swift response, calling the assistance a reaffirmation of the Neighbourhood First policy and a vital lifeline as the country struggles with the devastation left by Cyclone Ditwah.