Cyclone Ditwah has left more than 1.4 million people in Sri Lanka facing a long road to recovery. The storm’s torrential rains also brought destructive flooding to Indonesia and Thailand, pushing the combined death toll in all three countries to more than 1,000.
Nazarene leaders in Sri Lanka reported that assessments found one Nazarene church flattened by the storm (seen pictured above). Heavy debris—mud, logs, and large rocks, deposited by rushing waters— complicates cleanup and is restricting travel across impacted communities.
Two Nazarene child development centers in Sri Lanka are located in communities that were hit hard by the cyclone. All enrolled children and their families have been accounted for and are safe, although some families did experience damage to their homes.
The affected families will be part of the food and sanitation supply relief distributions provided by local Nazarene churches, ensuring both children and adults have food and basic hygiene supplies to prevent disease spread.
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) has requested prayer for those affected and for the recovery efforts that lie ahead.
To learn how you can support church-led disaster response in Sri Lanka, click here.