Cyclone Ditwah damage in Sri Lanka estimated at $4.1 bn, World Bank saysNewsCyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka in late November, has caused an estimated US$4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings and contents, agriculture and critical infrastructure, according to a World Bank Group Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report released on Monday. The Sri Lanka GRADE report provides timely and critical insights to guide the emergency response, recovery planning, and longer-term disaster risk reduction efforts. “As we look closely at the hardest-hit districts, we see that deep-rooted vulnerabilities have left communities especially vulnerable,” said Gevorg Sargsyan, World Bank Group Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives. While the GRADE report provides a rapid estimate of direct physical damage, recovery and reconstruction needs are expected to significantly exceed these figures. “The World Bank acknowledges the Government of Sri Lanka’s leadership in completing this assessment.

Source: Sunday Times December 22, 2025 14:55 UTC