Cyclonic Ditwah, Nov. 29 -- Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday declared a state of emergency to tackle disaster relief operations as Cyclone Ditwah exited the country, leaving 132 dead.

Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, which grants him sweeping powers to deal with the devastation.

"I, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, considering it necessary that the services provided by any Public Corporation or Government Department or Local Authority or Co-operative Society or any branch thereof being a Department or Corporation or Local Authority or Cooperative Society, which is engaged in provision of the services specified in the Schedule hereto, is essential to the life of the community and is likely to be impeded or interrupt...