Sri Lanka has moved to activate emergency response components within ongoing World Bank–financed projects to accelerate post-disaster recovery following the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the government said.
Severe flooding and landslides triggered by the cyclone resulted in extensive damage to agricultural land, critical infrastructure, public facilities and livelihoods, while also causing deaths and mass displacement of communities.
Officials said the scale of the disaster has made it necessary to prioritise rapid rebuilding and shift from immediate emergency response to longer-term recovery planning.
The Cabinet of Ministers has therefore approved a proposal by the President, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, to activate emergency response elements already built into existing foreign-funded investment projects and to obtain between USD 92 million and USD 112 million from the World Bank Cluster to finance the effort.
Separately, Sri Lanka will receive a USD 3 million grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund of the Asian Development Bank to support relief and rehabilitation activities for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah.
The Cabinet approved the proposal to enter into the required agreements with the ADB to secure the grant, which will help provide essential materials and life-security services in the aftermath of the disaster. (Newswire)