Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has instructed officials to accelerate compensation payments and housing reconstruction for families displaced by Cyclone Ditwah, chairing a meeting of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Presidential Task Force on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister directed that outstanding compensation payments be finalised without further delay and ordered systematic execution of repairs to damaged homes and construction of new houses, the President’s Office said. A follow-up special meeting with all District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries and relevant institutions has been scheduled to fast-track housing programmes and infrastructure restoration.
The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report on Cyclone Ditwah was formally presented during the session by Defence Deputy Minister Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara. The Task Force reviewed progress across its main committees and sub-committees and agreed to continue meeting periodically to monitor recovery.
Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka in November 2025, killed 646 people, affected 2.2 million residents and caused an estimated $4.1 billion in damage. Recovery efforts have been hampered by funding gaps, with OCHA recently flagging an unmet appeal for donor support.
The meeting was attended by Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake; Labour Minister and Finance Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Rural Development Minister Dr. Upali Pannilage; Housing and Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe; President’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Task Force Secretary Russell Aponsu; Presidential Adviser Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake; and PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi.
Update — June 16: 125 technical officers recruited, housing gaps in five districts
The task force reconvened under PM Amarasuriya at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday to review progress, Ada Derana reported, with the meeting framed around persistent technical-staff shortages that have slowed recovery work. The government has now recruited 125 technical officers — they will be deployed to relevant institutions from the following Monday — and addressed a parallel shortage at the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), which had been struggling to conduct land inspections and prepare reports across multiple districts simultaneously, the President’s Media Division said.
Compensation payments for partially damaged properties are nearing completion. The Rs. 5 million-per-house assistance for fully destroyed homes is progressing in some areas but encountering difficulties in Matale, Puttalam, Kegalle, Badulla and Ratnapura — the five districts now flagged for further intervention. China and India have agreed to assist with the construction and rehabilitation of highways and bridges, with agreements expected to be signed in due course.
A UNICEF survey of disaster-affected areas found that all school-age children in those regions have resumed attending school and that educational activities are proceeding normally. Russell Aponsu, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, was assigned responsibility for further assessments and follow-up action.
