Nearly three months after Cyclone Ditwah devastated parts of Sri Lanka, thousands of displaced families continue to live in overcrowded shelters and temporary camps, highlighting gaps in relief distribution, housing policy, and disaster recovery efforts.

Nearly three months after Cyclone Ditwah unleashed devastating floods and landslides across Sri Lanka, more than 3,000 people remain in safety centres while tens of thousands continue to live in temporary arrangements with relatives or in rented accommodation, underscoring the slow pace of long-term recovery.

According to official data released in early March, 3,146 people from 1,075 families are still living in 32 active safety centres across the country. At the same time, an even larger number – 14,927 individuals from thousands of families – are staying outside formal shelters, relying on relatives, friends, or temporary housing while waiting for permanent resettlement solutions.

Cyclone Ditwah triggered severe flooding and landslides that destroyed homes, displaced communities, and disrupted livelihoods across several districts. The disaster left 5,933 houses completely destroyed and more than 115,000 houses partially damaged, creating an enormous reconstruction challenge for the government.

Among the worst affected districts are Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, and Kegalle, where many displaced people remain without permanent housing months after the disaster.

Harsh Living Conditions in Temporary Shelters

For many displaced families, life in temporary shelters remains extremely difficult. In the estate areas of Haggala and Rendapola in Nuwara Eliya, some families affected by landslides have been living in temporary tents for weeks without adequate access to electricity, sanitation, or drinking water.

Residents say the shelters provide little protection from weather conditions and lack basic facilities needed for daily life. Parents report that children face severe disruptions to their education and routines because of the living conditions.

Families must often carry drinking water themselves, cook in dimly lit spaces using mobile phone torches, and cope with cold nights and muddy surroundings during rainfall.

The situation is particularly worrying as the region approaches a season of stronger winds. Displaced residents fear the tents and temporary structures may not withstand harsh weather conditions in the coming months.

Relief Payments Distributed but Gaps Remain

The Sri Lankan government has mobilised significant financial assistance to support post-disaster recovery, distributing more than Rs. 24.4 billion in total relief assistance by mid-February.

This includes house cleaning grants of Rs. 25,000 for more than 426,000 families and house restoration grants of Rs. 50,000 for over 144,000 households affected by the disaster.

Additional funding has also been allocated to support schoolchildren and small businesses impacted by the cyclone.

However, the pace of relief distribution varies widely across districts. While some regions have achieved near-complete coverage of restoration grants, others lag significantly. For example, the district of Kalutara reportedly recorded 0 per cent completion in restoration grant distribution, while districts such as Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa remain far behind their targets.

International assistance has also contributed to recovery efforts, providing more than Rs. 3 billion worth of aid, including vehicles, medical supplies, and emergency shelter materials.

Despite these efforts, many displaced families say assistance has not reached them adequately or on time.

Plantation Communities Face Deeper Vulnerabilities

The prolonged displacement has hit plantation-sector communities particularly hard, especially the Malaiyaha Tamil population, which has historically faced socio-economic marginalisation.

Many estate workers continue to live in extremely cramped temporary shelters, sometimes measuring only six feet by six feet, where entire families must eat, sleep, and live in a single confined space.

Activists and researchers say the disaster has exposed longstanding inequalities in land allocation and housing policies affecting plantation workers.

Critics argue that authorities frequently claim there is insufficient safe land available for resettlement in plantation districts. However, researchers note that large areas of plantation land have historically been diverted to other uses, suggesting that land scarcity may not be the real issue.

Some analysts estimate that allocating small plots of land to displaced estate families would require only a fraction of the land already taken out of plantation use in past decades.

There are also concerns about disparities in housing programmes. Homes built under certain housing schemes for plantation workers are reportedly valued significantly lower than houses provided to other disaster victims, raising questions about equality in recovery policies.

Bureaucratic Hurdles Stall Compensation Distribution

Recovery efforts have also been disrupted by bureaucratic challenges and labour disputes among officials involved in relief work.

Disaster relief personnel and technical officers halted their involvement in cyclone-related relief distribution from 27 February, citing unresolved issues such as the lack of a proper operational framework and delays in promised allowances.

As a result, compensation payments and other relief activities have reportedly been suspended for nearly two weeks, further delaying assistance to affected families.

Union representatives say officials involved in relief operations have been carrying additional workloads without receiving promised compensation or clear policy guidance.

Climate Change Intensifying Disasters

Environmental researchers argue that Cyclone Ditwah illustrates the growing human cost of climate change in vulnerable countries like Sri Lanka.

Scientific analysis indicates that global warming – currently estimated at about 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels – may have intensified the extreme rainfall associated with the cyclone by 28 per cent to 160 per cent.

Despite contributing less than 0.1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Sri Lanka continues to face severe climate-related disasters, highlighting the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing nations.

Women and children have been among the most affected groups in displacement camps. Assessments show that women and girls make up nearly half of the displaced population, while children account for more than a quarter, with many experiencing educational disruptions and psychological stress following the disaster.

Aid agencies also report gaps in sanitation facilities, health services, and privacy in several safety centres.

Slow Road to Resettlement

Authorities say thousands of houses located in landslide-prone areas require relocation to safer land. The National Building Research Organisation has identified around 13,000 families that need to be resettled due to landslide risks.

Officials say suitable land has been identified in most districts, although mountainous terrain in areas such as Badulla has complicated the search for safe resettlement sites.

While approximately 90 per cent of the land identification process has been completed, displaced communities remain uncertain about when permanent housing will become available.

For many survivors, the prolonged wait for safe housing continues to compound the trauma of the disaster.