Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst natural disasters since the 2004 tsunami. Cyclone Ditva Suli, which made landfall on 27 November, has claimed around 150 lives and left around 200 people missing. The cyclone has affected 20 of the 25 districts across the country, forcing nearly 44,000 people to move to welfare centers. Widespread landslides, home damage, and large-scale power outages and communication disruptions have been reported.
Caritas Sri Lanka, the charitable arm of the Catholic Church, has swiftly responded to the crisis. Covering all Catholic dioceses in the country, all 13 Caritas centers are operating 24/7 to provide relief. Priests have also kept many churches open to shelter affected individuals.
The districts with the highest number of deaths include areas under the dioceses of Kandy, Badulla, and Batticaloa. In Badulla Diocese, a landslide in Haputhale parish claimed the lives of a mother and her two daughters from the Estate Tamil community. Bishop Jude Nisantha visited the area and presided over the funeral Mass.
Speaking to Radio Veritas Asia, Bishop Jude said:
“It is our duty to stand with the people at this moment and be their strength. We must also reflect on the Tamil community of the hill country—those who have been working in tea plantations and contributing to the country’s economy for nearly two centuries. They have lived without proper housing for generations. Unless their long-standing housing problems are resolved with permanent homes and proper land, it will be impossible to prevent them from repeatedly becoming victims of such disasters. Everyone should support the government’s current relief efforts, but we must also focus on sustainable solutions for the future. We particularly need to ensure permanent housing for this marginalized Tamil community.”
The bishop expressed gratitude for priests and laypeople working together to assist all victims during this difficult time.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, also issued a statement urging the Christian community to come forward and provide relief to those affected in every possible way.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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