Sri Lanka, Jan. 15 -- Nearly all communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka have suffered extensive damage to homes, roads and other critical infrastructure, according to a new United Nations Development Programme assessment, underscoring the vast scale of recovery needs and the urgency of ensuring inclusive access to financing for the most vulnerable.

The qualitative assessment, released on Wednesday, is based on key informant interviews with 510 local government officials, business leaders and community representatives across 85 divisional secretariat divisions in the 22 districts worst affected by the cyclone. It found that over 95% of respondents reported damage to residential, transport, industrial or community infrastruct...