Ireland responds to devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí:
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, and Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, have announced funding of €500,000 to support humanitarian relief efforts in Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Nearly 500 people have died, thousands more are injured and hundreds are still missing after Cyclone Ditwah made landfall in Sri Lanka on 28 November. The crisis is extensive and many areas remain cut-off due to flooding, landslides and damaged roads and bridges. As international humanitarian organisations mobilise to support the local response, Ireland is contributing €500,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the work of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society in delivering emergency food, water, healthcare and other essential support.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, said:
“Cyclone Ditwah has caused widespread loss of life and destruction in Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka has called on the international community to support the relief effort. Ireland is responding to that call by supporting the immediate needs of communities affected by severe flooding, landslides and widespread displacement.”
Minister for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, said:
“Ireland has a proud record of responding to humanitarian need when disasters strike. Cyclone Ditwah is one of the worst natural disasters recorded in recent times in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Red Cross is responding on the ground, providing first aid and distributing water, food and shelter supports, while assisting families to trace missing loves ones. The funding we have announced today will support those efforts. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a long-standing partner of Ireland and a critical actor in supporting locally-led, internationally supported disaster responses”.
To date in 2025, Ireland has supported the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with €10.9 million in humanitarian funding, including in response to the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan. The Cyclone Ditwah Appeal will support the emergency response of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, and will contribute to longer-term recovery of communities’ most affected by this disaster.
ENDS
Press Office
05 December 2025