Sri lanka develops disaster-resilient housing plans after cyclone ditwah triggers deadly landslides

When Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in late November, it triggered devastating landslides that left thousands homeless and reluctant to return to their damaged communities. Bandara Jayaratne, a resident of Beraliya village in the landslide-prone Aranayaka region, narrowly escaped when the hillside behind his house gave way on November 28. “I managed to take my parents to a relative’s house near the town as a temporary measure,” said Jayaratne, who remains displaced. “Right now, I’m unable to go to my house as the roads are still blocked and my house is no longer safe.”

The recent disaster has renewed urgent discussions about building disaster-resilient housing in Sri Lanka’s vulnerable regions. According to the country’s Disaster Management Centre, Cyclone Ditwah fully destroyed 6,228 homes and partially damaged more than 100,000 others. This area is no stranger to such tragedies—a massive 2016 landslide in the same region killed at least 100 people, displaced over 2,000 families, and affected 350,000 residents.

In response to the recurring disasters, Sri Lanka has developed a new hazard-resilient construction manual specifically designed for homes built on slopes. Many displaced families, unlike after the 2016 disaster, are now refusing to return to their original locations and are instead waiting for government assistance to relocate to safer areas. This shift in attitude reflects growing awareness of climate risks and the urgent need for long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes in disaster-prone regions.