The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Defence, I provide the following.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Major disaster impacts in Kandy District due to Cyclone “Ditwah” included: high winds, landslides, floods, collapsing trees and rocks, full and partial house damages, damages to business premises, road obstructions, and fatalities, across the following Divisional Secretary’s Divisions: Gangawata Korale, Kundasale, Panvila, Pathadumbara, Yatinuwara, Udunuwara, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Pathahewaheta, Delthota, Medadumbara, Ududumbara, Minipe, Akurana, Poojapitiya, Harispattuwa, Thumpane, Hatharaliyadda, Gangaihala Korale, and Pasbage Korale. (Detailed divisional breakdowns of disaster types and impacts were compiled.)

¶ 03 (ii) Losses of land, house damages (full/partial), business damages, and deaths were tabulated division-wise. Summaries include: - Total reported (illustrative extract): e.g., Udunuwara (full 329; partial 802), Udapalatha (full 690; partial 1,286), Doluwa (full 710; partial 1,834), etc., with an overall total recorded of 6,119 full house damages and 11,352 partial house damages, and 4,179 business damages reported across divisions. Fourteen religious sites were assessed for damages; for 10 Buddhist sites, estimates were being finalized, and for some, NBRI (National Building Research Organisation) assessments were pending or referred.

¶ 04 (iii) Damaged religious sites and financial assessments: district engineers and NBRI were engaged; for Buddhist temples, assessed amounts (e.g., Rs. 4,570,288.24 for certain sites) have been prepared; Muslim and Christian places received interim payments (Rs. 50,000 each) while detailed assessments continued.

¶ 05 (iv) Number of people living in rented houses due to loss of homes was recorded division-wise, with a total of 3,404.

¶ 06 (v) Total compensation paid to families who lost houses amounted to Rs. 625,999,000.00 (division-wise allocations listed, e.g., Kundasale Rs. 50,000,000; Panvila Rs. 69,499,000; Poojapitiya Rs. 180,000,000; etc.).

¶ 07 (vi) New housing projects proposed and initiated: division-wise, 14 projects proposed and 5 initiated (noting that this refers to housing schemes/apartments for relocation due to full damage or high-risk siting; it excludes individual house constructions or purchases).

¶ 08 (vii) Families provided with alternative lands so far: 302 (division-wise breakdown provided; e.g., Gangawata Korale 44; Kundasale 33; Poojapitiya 58; Hatharaliyadda 24; etc.).

¶ 09 (viii) In Gampola town (Udapalatha DS Division), compensation to businessmen: by 2026.04.23, payments made to 1,117 cases (including 140 via Ministry of Industries; 182 via Ministry of Defence; 73 for Rs. 25,000 disbursements; 18 for livelihood damage), with remaining payments in process pending documentation/registration issues.

¶ 10 (b) Not applicable.