Sri Lanka is grieving. In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, as floodwaters begin to withdraw and the earth settles after devastating landslides, the scale of loss is becoming painfully clear. Homes have vanished under water. Hillsides have collapsed. Thousands have been displaced. And far too many lives have been lost, including that of a courageous Air Force pilot who died in a helicopter crash during a rescue mission. His final act was to save others. His sacrifice will remain a symbol of bravery for generations.
Across the island, sorrow is deep. Yet even as we mourn, something equally powerful emerges. The unmistakable strength of the Sri Lankan spirit. A spirit that has carried us through decades of adversity and continues to carry us now. We are, and always have been, a resilient island. A nation of generous hearts, warm smiles and boundless compassion.
The devastation left behind by Cyclone Ditwah has been immense. Floods swallowed neighbourhoods in minutes. Landslides tore through the hill country with a force that stunned communities who had lived there for decades. Families who woke up expecting an ordinary day are now confronting the unimaginable loss of homes, belongings and loved ones. Everywhere one looks, there are scenes of heartbreak, struggle and uncertainty.
But there are also scenes of extraordinary humanity. Villagers pulling strangers to safety through chest-deep water. Neighbours sharing rice packets and dry clothes when they barely had enough for themselves. Volunteers transported medicine by boat when the roads had vanished beneath the floodwaters. Fishermen taking their boats inland to rescue the stranded. The best of our island has risen from the worst of this storm.
Our tri-forces, police, emergency responders, doctors, nurses, PHIs, local officials and countless volunteers have worked without pause. Many have slept barely an hour a night. Many have placed themselves in danger to protect others. Their courage, their stamina and their unwavering dedication have saved countless lives.
The international community has stood beside us too. India, the United States, the Maldives, Pakistan and several other nations responded without hesitation, sending equipment, medical teams, relief materials and support. Their friendship reminds us that even in disaster, we are not alone. The Sri Lankan diaspora, spread across continents yet tied to this soil, has mobilised rapidly to contribute funds, aid and resources.
In the midst of all this, the government declared a State of Emergency. And it is vital that the world understands what this truly means. This was not a cry signalling that Sri Lanka is closed or broken. It was not a sign that our nation had fallen. The State of Emergency was declared for one reason alone; to expedite and facilitate rescue and relief efforts, to ensure that help reached people faster, to remove administrative barriers during a critical hour. Sri Lanka is open. Sri Lanka is standing. Sri Lanka is moving forward.
We will wake up tomorrow and the day after, as we always do. We will pick up the pieces. We will continue our work, our trade, our schooling, our livelihood. We will welcome tourists with open arms, with the same warmth and hospitality that define us. We will show the world that this island, though battered, is not defeated. We will shine again, not through denial of what has happened, but through the united resolve to rise from it.
For the families who have lost everything, the road ahead will be long. Rebuilding homes, reconstructing bridges, restoring farmland, and healing emotional wounds will require unwavering national commitment. Those in temporary shelters will need ongoing support long after media attention shifts elsewhere. The children whose classrooms have collapsed, the farmers whose harvests have been destroyed, the elderly now separated from their homes; they will need us for months, even years, to come.
This is why our unity cannot be temporary. It must extend beyond the immediate crisis. Rebuilding must be structured, transparent, inclusive and focused entirely on restoring dignity and security to every affected Sri Lankan. No region, no community, no family should be left behind. This is our duty to one another.
Sri Lanka is a land of breathtaking landscapes, but it is our people who make this island extraordinary. Even in the darkest hour, our smiles persist. Even in grief, our kindness does not falter. Even when surrounded by loss, we reach for one another instead of turning away.
Each morning, the sun rises over our island, touching mountains, fields and coastlines scarred by disaster yet still unimaginably beautiful. That sunrise is a reminder of renewal, of possibility, of hope. It reminds us that storms pass, waters recede, and life returns. It reminds us that strength is not the absence of hardship, but the ability to rise after it.
Today, we mourn. Tomorrow, we rebuild. And in time, we heal.
Sri Lanka has faced tragedy before and emerged stronger. We will do so again. Not because the journey will be easy, but because we are a people who never give up. We are a nation with kind hearts and generous souls. We are an island shaped by resilience, carried by compassion and strengthened by unity.
We will restore what has been lost. We will honour those who died by rebuilding a safer, more prepared, more united nation. And we will welcome the world to witness our recovery, our spirit and our renewed strength.
We are Sri Lanka. We are unbroken. And we will rise again.
