The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that more than 275,000 children have been affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which triggered severe flooding and landslides after making landfall on Sri Lanka’s East Coast on November 28.
UNICEF notes that the true number may be far higher, as many communities remain cut off by damaged roads and inundated terrain.
UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham said the scale of destruction has placed children at heightened risk, citing the loss of homes, disruptions to essential services, and growing concerns over disease, malnutrition and psychological trauma.
“This is a race against time,” Brigham said, calling for urgent lifesaving support for families struggling in the aftermath of the storm.
The crisis adds pressure to already vulnerable households as poverty levels in Sri Lanka have doubled since 2019, leaving millions without the means to meet basic needs even before the disaster struck.
UNICEF said it is working alongside the Government and humanitarian partners to deliver clean drinking water, nutrition supplies, psychosocial support and emergency education kits.
However, it stressed that additional funding and resources are urgently needed to reach the worst-affected children and families in isolated areas.
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