Sri Lanka's humanitarian response to Cyclone Ditwah has reached a significant milestone, with relief efforts now supporting over 240,000 people affected by the devastating weather system that struck the island nation in late 2025. The latest situation report, released on February 20, 2026, highlights the ongoing progress of the Humanitarian Priorities Plan (HPP) launched to address the cyclone's widespread impact.
Humanitarian Response Overview
Following a formal request from the Government of Sri Lanka, the Humanitarian Country Team activated the comprehensive HPP on December 11, 2025. This coordinated response plan was designed to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable individuals affected by Cyclone Ditwah, with operations scheduled to continue through April 2026.
The ambitious relief program represents one of the largest humanitarian responses in Sri Lanka's recent history, addressing immediate needs while building foundations for long-term recovery. International organizations, local agencies, and government departments have collaborated to ensure efficient resource distribution and maximize impact across affected communities.
Current Relief Progress
As of the February 20 situation report, humanitarian partners have successfully reached approximately 36.5% of the targeted population. The 240,000 people currently receiving assistance represent diverse communities across multiple districts that bore the brunt of Cyclone Ditwah's destructive path.
Relief efforts have focused on providing essential services including emergency shelter, clean water access, food security, healthcare support, and protection services for vulnerable groups. Priority has been given to displaced families, elderly individuals, children, and communities in remote areas where infrastructure damage complicated initial response efforts.
The coordinated approach has enabled humanitarian partners to avoid duplication of services while ensuring comprehensive coverage of critical needs. Regular monitoring and assessment activities continue to guide resource allocation and identify emerging requirements as recovery efforts progress.
Cyclone Ditwah's Impact Assessment
Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka during the northeast monsoon season, bringing unprecedented wind speeds and torrential rainfall that caused extensive flooding and infrastructure damage. Coastal communities faced the dual threat of storm surge and inland flooding, while mountainous regions experienced landslides and road closures that isolated entire villages.
The cyclone's impact extended beyond immediate physical damage, disrupting livelihoods, educational services, and healthcare delivery across affected areas. Agricultural communities suffered significant crop losses, while fishing communities lost boats and equipment essential for their economic survival.
Initial damage assessments revealed that hundreds of thousands of people required immediate humanitarian assistance, prompting the government's request for international support and the subsequent launch of the HPP framework.
Multi-Sector Response Strategy
The humanitarian response has adopted a multi-sector approach addressing interconnected needs across affected communities. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions have prioritized restoring access to safe drinking water and preventing disease outbreaks in crowded temporary shelters.
Food security programs have combined immediate food distributions with support for agricultural recovery, helping farming communities replant crops and restore productive capacity. Emergency shelter assistance has provided temporary accommodation while supporting efforts to repair damaged homes and community infrastructure.
Healthcare services have focused on maintaining essential medical care, with mobile clinics reaching isolated communities and ensuring continuity of treatment for chronic conditions. Protection services have given special attention to unaccompanied children, elderly individuals, and other vulnerable groups requiring additional support.
Ongoing Challenges and Needs
Despite significant progress, humanitarian partners continue facing challenges in reaching all affected populations. Infrastructure damage in remote areas has complicated logistics and supply chain management, while funding constraints limit the scope of some interventions.
The February situation report indicates that approximately 418,000 people still require assistance under the HPP framework. These individuals represent communities in hard-to-reach areas, populations with complex needs requiring specialized support, and groups affected by secondary impacts of the cyclone.
Weather conditions and seasonal factors continue influencing response operations, with the ongoing monsoon season creating additional risks for vulnerable communities and complicating reconstruction efforts in some areas.
Looking Toward Recovery
As the HPP enters its final phase, humanitarian partners are increasingly focusing on recovery and resilience-building activities. These efforts aim to strengthen community capacity to withstand future weather-related disasters while addressing underlying vulnerabilities that amplified Cyclone Ditwah's impact.
The response has demonstrated the importance of coordinated humanitarian action and early government engagement in disaster response. Lessons learned from the Ditwah response are being documented to inform future emergency preparedness and response strategies.
With two months remaining in the planned response timeline, humanitarian partners continue working to reach all targeted beneficiaries while building sustainable foundations for long-term recovery across cyclone-affected communities in Sri Lanka.