New Vertical Housing Complexes to Shelter Cyclone Ditwah Victims, Minister Confirms
By Lions Roar News National Desk
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (December 22, 2025) – In a major move to resettle families displaced by the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah, the government has announced plans to construct modern vertical housing complexes. Minister of Housing, Construction, and Water Supply, Susil Ranasinghe, confirmed today that land identification is already underway through District Secretaries across the hardest-hit regions.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the Ministry premises today, Minister Ranasinghe detailed a phased strategy to move victims out of temporary shelters and into permanent, disaster-resilient homes.
🏚️ The Scale of the Crisis
The Minister revealed the staggering extent of the housing crisis triggered by the late-November cyclone:
- Total Destruction: More than 6,000 houses have been completely destroyed.
- Partial Damage: Over 100,000 homes have suffered significant damage.
- High-Risk Zones: Thousands of other families are currently living in areas deemed “uninhabitable” or “unsafe” due to ongoing landslide and flood risks, even if their physical structures remain standing.
“Our goal is not just to replace what was lost, but to ensure these families never face such a disaster again,” Minister Ranasinghe stated. “We are focusing on relocating those in high-risk zones to safer, inland regions.”
🏗️ The Plan: Vertical Housing Complexes
To optimize land use and provide modern amenities, the government is shifting away from traditional single-unit housing in favor of housing complexes.
- Land Identification: District Secretaries have already pinpointed alternative plots of land that are geologically safe.
- Funding: The Presidential Secretariat is actively coordinating the necessary financial allocations to fast-track the project.
- Design & Planning: The Ministry is currently finalizing architectural plans and consulting with technical experts to ensure the buildings meet modern safety and sustainability standards.
Minister Ranasinghe emphasized that this resettlement program is a key priority for the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake administration, aimed at restoring stability to the nearly 2 million people affected nationwide.
🚰 Water Supply Restored to 95%
The Minister also provided an update on the country’s water infrastructure, which was severely crippled during the storm.
He confirmed that 95% of the water supply systems disrupted by the disaster have now been repaired and are fully operational. This achievement follows weeks of intensive work by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to repair submerged pumps, ruptured mains, and contaminated treatment plants.
