Sri Lanka, Dec. 9 -- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports that Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive devastation across Sri Lanka, flooding more than 1.1 million hectares nearly 20% of the country's land and impacting approximately 2.3 million people. According to the UN agency's latest geospatial assessment, women accounted for more than half of those affected.

The new analysis, drawing from government disaster data and satellite imagery, identifies Cyclone Ditwah as one of the most severe flooding events to hit Sri Lanka in decades. UNDP warns that the scale of destruction, combined with pre-existing economic vulnerabilities, poses a significant challenge for the country's recovery.

Massive Damage to Homes and Infrastruct...