The government on Monday began the first phase of cheque distribution under the Cyclone Ditwah housing relief programme, handing out grants to 23 families in the Badulla Divisional Secretariat Division.
The ceremony was held at the Uva Provincial Council. Officials said families whose homes were completely destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah will receive Rs. 500,000 each, while those whose houses sustained partial damage are entitled to Rs. 50,000 — the minimum compensation amount provided without a formal estimation.
Newswire reported that Monday’s distribution represents the initial phase of the wider relief programme, with further support expected as reconstruction efforts continue.
The cheque distribution follows the Prime Minister’s directive on housing payments through the Cyclone Ditwah Task Force and the presidential commitment to complete compensation by end-May. Cyclone Ditwah, which struck in November 2025, caused $4.1 billion in damage, killed 646 people, and affected an estimated 2.2 million across Sri Lanka.
Badulla — situated in the central highlands of Uva Province — was among the worst-hit districts in the cyclone’s interior path, with reservoir overflows, landslides and collapsed homes among the recorded losses. The Uva Provincial Council ceremony marks the first batch of household-level financial support under the rebuilding scheme to actually reach affected families in cheque form.
