Sri Lanka Receives Rs.85Bn for Ditwah Relief

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath announced today that Sri Lanka has received an unprecedented level of international assistance following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

“As you are aware, following the recent Ditwah cyclone, Sri Lanka sought assistance from several governments. In response, we received overwhelming support — financial contributions, material aid, and humanitarian deployments.”

According to Herath, Sri Lankan communities abroad, along with citizens of host countries, deposited funds into special accounts introduced by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Bank of Ceylon. 

For those unable to transfer funds directly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated contributions through official embassy and high commission accounts worldwide.

The Minister revealed significant figures:

Maldives: Over Rs. 72.5 million contributed by both Sri Lankans and Maldivian nationals.
Japan: Contributions exceeded Rs. 59.6 million.
India (Chennai alone): Over Rs. 44 million.

Herath emphasized that when direct and indirect assistance is combined, the total support received within this short period amounts to approximately Rs. 85,185 million — nearly Rs. 85 billion.