Maldivian media, in an initiative headed by state media, Public Service Media (PSM), has kicked off a telethon to raise funds for the victims of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.  
The telethon, ‘Ceylon aa eku Dhivehin’, translated to Maldivians with Sri Lankans, will run from 9:00am to 1:00am. The telethon was launched during a special ceremony held at PSM studio at 9:00am.
PSM’s Deputy Managing Director, Yameen Rasheed, who launched the telethon, said it is a national-scale event that reflects Maldivians’ solidarity with Sri Lankans, rooted in the long-standing close relationship between the two nations.
While Sun Siyam Media (SS Media) is also participating in the telethon, its outlets SSTV and Sun Online will cover the event, with SSTV broadcasting the event live and Sun Online publishing ongoing updates.
According to PSM, it has executed an agreement with Crowe Maldives, an independent audit firm, to manage the donations received through the telethon.
Maldivian media kicks off ‘Ceylon aa eku Dhivehin’ telethon to raise funds for victims of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka on November 30, 2025. (Photo/PSM)
Donations can be made both in person and online under a telethon. They include:
        Maldivian Rufiyaa account number: 7730000796107
Account name: Ceylon aa eku Dhivehin
       US Dollar account number: 7730000796106
Account name: Ceylon aa eku Dhivehin
        Scanning QR code on TV screen
        Fund box at PSM
        Fund boxes across various areas in Male’ and Hulhumale’
Cyclone Ditwah has already caused widespread devastation in Sri Lanka. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported that the death toll has risen to 159, with over 200 people still missing following landslides and floods triggered by torrential rains. More than 78,000 people have been displaced and moved to state-run welfare centres, while 20,000 homes have been damaged. About a third of the country is without electricity or running water. 
Sri Lanka’s government has declared a state of emergency to expedite disaster response, including seeking international help. Evacuation orders are in place in some areas as water levels of the Kelani River continue to rise rapidly. 
The cyclone, which formed to the west of the Bay of Bengal, passed over Sri Lanka on Saturday and is now heading toward the southern coasts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several coastal districts in Tamil Nadu, along with orange alerts for Puducherry, Karaikal, and nearby areas of Andhra Pradesh.