Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka’s eastern coast in November of 2025.
The resulting floods and landslides devastated communities, destroying thousands of homes. Ditwah took the lives of 644 people and displaced many more.
In partnership with local churches in Sri Lanka, Compassion provided disaster relief in the form of supplies like food and hygiene packs to support children and families in need.
Thevisha frantically wrapped her 2-year-old son, Sharvin, in whatever cloth she could find before running out of her home. Water was rising quickly. There was no time to pack any belongings — she had to get her son to safety.
Cyclone Ditwah hit the eastern coast of Sri Lanka in November 2025. With it came devastating floods and landslides that destroyed thousands of homes and took many lives. Families like Thevisha’s, who were already living in poverty, faced the most devastation.
But even after the worst storm they’ve ever faced, there was hope to be found through the hands and feet of Jesus.
Cyclone Ditwah Through Thevisha’s Eyes
The month leading up to Ditwah had been hard for Thevisha and her son. Just three days before the cyclone hit, Sharvin had been discharged from a scary three-week hospital stay due to a high fever and seizures.
While Sharvin was doing much better, Thevisha had barely begun to recover from the turmoil of medical test after medical test when the cyclone struck.
Cyclone Ditwah Hits Sri Lanka
The rain poured and the wind raged. Soon, the water began to quickly rise in Thevisha’s home. She realized there was no time to think about her belongings. Instead, she needed to get her son to safety.
All around her, families were fleeing to find refuge in schools, shelters or relatives’ homes. Thevisha, her husband Vinodan and Sharvin first tried a nearby public shelter, but it was too crowded.
The trauma of Sharvin’s recent illness filled Thevisha’s heart with worry. He could get sick again in such a crowded place. So they fled to their relatives’ home, where four other families were staying too.
The Devastation of Cyclone Ditwah
Like Thevisha and Vinodan, thousands of families had to evacuate their homes. The lives of 644 people were lost. And 118,000 homes were partially or fully destroyed. Ditwah impacted all 25 districts in Sri Lanka.
After Thevisha ensured her son’s safety, she and her husband went back to their home to see what they could save. The two weren’t prepared for the devastation they would see.
“I remember thinking about the chickens we received through the Compassion center to help us get an income. We worked hard to keep them alive, and I was so sad to think they would be destroyed.” — Thevisha
They were able to save five chickens in a bucket from being swept away by floodwaters around the home. While Thevisha and her husband were able to save a few things, most of their belongings were gone.
Loss Worsened by Poverty
For Thevisha’s and other families already living in poverty, the loss after a storm is much more severe. Simple, everyday things we often take for granted, like a toothbrush, are often too expensive to replace. And losing what little they have, the things they sweated and fought to afford, leaves them feeling devastatingly hopeless.
While Thevisha’s husband, Vinodan, was a skilled fisherman, work was often scarce. When there were no fish, there was no income.
And after Ditwah, the local fishing industry was thrown into chaos. Flooding and rough water made fishing nearly impossible. Vinodan was forced to find day-to-day jobs to try and provide for his family.
Even finding something to eat was an exhausting and difficult struggle. But the local church rallied a response to bring hope despite the helplessness families felt.
Hope After the Storm: Critical Disaster Relief After Cyclone Ditwah
Around the world, children participating in Compassion’s program and their families receive critical disaster relief when crises strike. This emergency aid can look like anything from clean water and shelter to trauma counseling. Whatever is needed to help families get back on their feet again.
After Ditwah, local churches partnering with Compassion in and around Thevisha’s community stepped in. Compassion center tutors and staff cooked and distributed food to families in shelters, even as many of these staff members faced loss themselves.
As the days dragged on, families were given critical food and hygiene packs, filling their bellies and providing comfort despite the chaos.
Inside the food packs were nutritious staples like rice, dried fish, flour, milk, vegetables, oil, beans and spices. Hygiene packs included important items like toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap. Families also received $60 in emergency funds so they could purchase other urgently needed items.
Through Compassion’s Disaster Relief fund, a total of $1,910,684.35 in freshly cooked meals, food supplies and hygiene packs were delivered to families Compassion serves in Sri Lanka.
To the families who had lost everything and those who couldn’t work, these packs were a lifeline.
“When we felt so helpless, receiving such support made me feel so happy and supported,” — Thevisha
Water Receding and Hope Returning
Four days after the storm passed, the water receded from Thevisha’s home. Thevisha and Vinodan cleaned the house from top to bottom while evaluating what furniture they could salvage.
Even in the ruin, hope could be tasted in the meals Thevisha cooked from the food packs. It could be seen in the Compassion center, where Sharvin could go to learn, dream and receive consistent care for his medical needs. And hope shone in those sharing the gospel with words and action, walking alongside the family into the light of a brighter future.
Recovering from the disaster will take time. And Thevisha’s family faces uncertainty when it comes to Vinodan’s fishing income. However, they know they’ll be supported whatever may come, especially little Sharvin.
“I don’t know how we did it, but we did. I know and have hope that Sharvin will grow up and do well in life. I want him to study well and be a doctor. I know he can do it, especially because of the support he has at the center.” — Thevisha
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. — Psalm 107:29-30, NIV
Even in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, hope is growing. Through the hands of the local church, Sri Lankan families like Thevisha’s have the love and care they need to face tomorrow.
