Sri Lanka’s government has estimated that recent weather-related disasters caused roughly Rs.190 billion in damage to the country’s highway network, officials said Thursday, as recovery efforts continue following Cyclone Ditwah’s widespread destruction.
Cyclone Ditwah brought torrential rain that triggered floods, riverine flooding, earth-slips and landslides, leaving nearly 500 people dead and affecting more than 1.5 million nationwide.
The Kandy district was completely cut off for days after all major highways linking the city to surrounding regions were damaged, authorities said.
Road Development Authority Director General Wimal Kandambi told Daily Mirror that while the overall impact on the road network is immense, the country’s expressways escaped major damage.
Other critical infrastructure was not as fortunate.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is assessing damage to transmission lines and grid stations, and the nation’s irrigation system has also suffered heavy losses.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has obtained Cabinet approval to establish the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund, a statutory mechanism under the Presidential Secretariat to support medium- and long-term recovery.
A public–private Management Committee has been appointed to oversee resource mobilization and allocation.
Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando will chair the committee, with Senior Additional Secretary to the President G.M.R.D. Aponsu serving as convenor.
Dissanayake said the government has begun discussions with the World Bank to prepare a comprehensive assessment of damage across sectors and determine financial needs for reconstruction.
The World Bank will also carry out the Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation, or GRADE, which the government expects to receive within two weeks.
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