Red Cross Issues Alert as Sri Lanka Humanitarian Emergency Worsens
"In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah brought unprecedented rainfall, triggering catastrophic flooding and landslides across all districts," John Entwistle, the IFRC head of country cluster delegation for South Asia, told reporters in Geneva via online. "More than 1.5 million people have been affected, with hundreds of lives lost and thousands displaced."
Entwistle revealed that more than 3,500 Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteers mobilized within hours to execute rescue missions, deliver critical supplies, and access remote communities despite infrastructure damage to roadways and bridges.
To amplify response capacity, the IFRC has initiated a 5 million Swiss franc (exceeding $6.2 million) emergency fundraising appeal, supplementing 1 million Swiss francs previously allocated from its disaster fund, he noted.
Relief operations will encompass water and sanitation services, medical care, psychosocial support and cash aid.
Entwistle recounted "heartbreaking" conditions witnessed during a recent field assessment, with displaced families taking shelter in educational facilities and temporary structures after losing their possessions, yet also observing powerful displays of solidarity from volunteers and community members.
The catastrophe reaches beyond Sri Lanka's borders, he added, with 3.2 million people suffering flood impacts in Indonesia, where the IFRC is simultaneously backing emergency response initiatives.
Entwistle called for immediate financial contributions, enhanced coordination mechanisms, solutions to logistical barriers, and sustained investment in climate adaptation infrastructure.
"We cannot do this alone," Entwistle stated in closing.
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