Ottawa’s Sri Lankan community is coming together to provide assistance to their country after it was hit by a severe cyclone. Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rainfall to Sri Lanka recently, causing landslides and floods. This cyclone is believed to be one of the most devastating weather events to hit the island nation in the Indian Ocean in years. Due to communication disruptions and road closures, the full extent of the damage is not yet fully known.
Naradha Kodituwakku, a member of the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa, shared that various Sri Lankan groups in Canada have united to offer support in the wake of the disaster. Collaborating with the Muslim and Tamil communities, they have initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Sri Lanka’s recovery.
Estimating around 1,000 Sri Lankan families in Ottawa, Kodituwakku mentioned that the fundraising goal is set at $50,000. The situation in Sri Lanka is dire, with cell phone towers down, power outages, and blocked roads. Some regions received up to 500 millimetres of rain in just 24 hours, causing widespread destruction akin to multiple landslides.
Fahad Siyad, another Ottawa Sri Lankan community member, expressed difficulties in contacting family members in the affected areas. He shared that an entire village where their relatives reside is submerged, with approximately 800 people missing. Rescue efforts are underway, but the uncertainty of the situation prevails.
As per the Sri Lankan Government Disaster Management Center’s latest update on Sunday evening, 334 individuals have been confirmed deceased, and the number is anticipated to rise as more people are reported missing. Additionally, neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand have also experienced significant damage from a rare tropical storm that led to heavy rainfall and strong winds for a week.