The devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah continues to escalate, with the death toll climbing to 334 and at least 370 people still unaccounted for, according to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC), as reported by local media.

Kandy remains the hardest-hit district, reporting 88 deaths and 150 missing persons. Badulla has recorded 71 fatalities, while 68 people have died in Nuwara Eliya and 23 in Matale. In total, 1,118,929 individuals from 309,607 families across the island have been affected, the Daily Mirror reported.

Rescue and relief operations are being hampered by severe communication outages in multiple disaster-stricken regions. In response, telecommunications operators have agreed to prioritise emergency calls to relieve network congestion and support ongoing rescue work, the President’s Media Division said.

Indian rescue teams are working closely with the Sri Lanka Air Force, Navy, Army, Police, and local first responders as evacuations, supply distributions, and emergency relief continue across the country.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday termed the ongoing crisis the worst natural disaster in the nation’s history, assuring citizens that the government will provide full support for relief, recovery, and long-term rebuilding.

Addressing the nation, the president said the government bears three key responsibilities during such emergencies: managing the immediate crisis, restoring normalcy, and rebuilding the country stronger than before.

"When disasters strike and we cannot prevent their impact, the government must manage the emergency, return life to normal, and rebuild beyond the earlier state," he said. "We are fully committed to taking the necessary steps, however difficult."

President Dissanayake emphasised that the State of Public Emergency currently in force is solely for disaster management and will not infringe upon civil liberties. He added that work is underway to restore essential services — including water, power, and communication — which remain disrupted in many regions.

He assured that all displaced citizens will receive government assistance and that no affected family will be left without support.

Praising the armed forces for their tireless efforts, he noted that thousands of Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel are operating around the clock to rescue survivors and aid distressed communities.

The president also appealed to the international community and the Sri Lankan diaspora for solidarity and support in the island’s recovery and reconstruction efforts. He urged political parties to put aside differences and unite in this time of national crisis.