Srilanka, Dec. 7 -- Sri Lanka is dealing with its worst humanitarian crisis in its post-Independence history following Cyclone Ditwah. The scale of destruction has stunned officials, aid agencies, and the public alike. Many comparisons have been drawn to the devastation of the 2004 tsunami.

According to a spokesman for the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), by Friday evening, 607 people had died, while another 214 remain missing following the floods and landslides triggered by the cyclone. More than two million people from 586,464 families have been affected nationwide. The storm has completely destroyed 4,164 houses and partially damaged over 67,505, while 416 manufacturing and export factories have been damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.

The a...