Cyclone Ditwah causes 4.1 bln USD in damage in Sri Lanka: World Bank

COLOMBO, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The direct physical damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka is estimated at 4.1 billion U.S. dollars, about 4 percent of the country's GDP, according to a report released by the World Bank on Monday.

The Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) report provides an initial assessment to support emergency response and recovery planning. The model-based analysis estimates direct damage to physical assets but does not include income losses, production losses, or the full costs of recovery and reconstruction.

The Central Province was the hardest hit, with damages in Kandy district alone estimated at 689 million dollars, mainly due to flooding and landslides, the report said.

Infrastructure suffered the largest share of damage at about 1.74 billion dollars, accounting for 42 percent of total losses. Damage to homes and household contents was estimated at 985 million dollars.

Agriculture incurred losses of about 814 million dollars, affecting paddy and vegetable cultivation, livestock, inland fisheries, and agricultural infrastructure, raising concerns over food security. Non-residential buildings, including schools, hospitals, and businesses, sustained an estimated 562 million dollars in damage, the World Bank said.

The report warned that pre-existing poverty and exposure to climate risks could slow recovery, particularly for women, children, older persons, and female-headed households. The World Bank said it has mobilized up to 120 million dollars from ongoing projects to support immediate recovery and restore essential services.

The cyclone, one of the most intense and destructive in the country's recent history, affected nearly 2 million people and about 500,000 families across all 25 districts. ■