Colombo, Dec 23 (IANS) Around 374,000 Sri Lankan workers are located in areas affected by floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, a preliminary employment assessment released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Tuesday.
The ILO said potential earnings losses in the affected districts could reach about 48 million US dollars per month. Informal and low-wage workers are particularly vulnerable, as many lack access to adequate social protection and shock-absorbing safety nets, it said, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The organisation also noted that agriculture and related activities, including plantations and fisheries, have been severely hit. Up to 23 per cent of rice-cultivating land has been affected by the floods, and the country's world-famous tea industry was estimated to suffer output losses as high as 35 per cent.
In the short term, the ILO called for measures to sustain livelihoods, such as providing emergency cash assistance and rolling out relief-related work opportunities such as debris removal and infrastructure reconstruction, with wages sufficient to meet workers' household needs.
The organisation also urged support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through grants and subsidies to help repair equipment, restart operations, and retain workers.
On December 16, Sri Lanka reopened most government and government-approved private schools following school closures due to Cyclone Ditwah, a senior official said.
According to Ministry of Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa, 9,929 of the country's 10,076 schools reopened, while 147 schools in three provinces remain closed due to ongoing emergency conditions. These schools are in the Uva, Central, and North Western provinces, which were most affected by Cyclone Ditwah, he said.
To support students in disaster-affected areas, the Sri Lanka Transport Board and the Sri Lanka Railway Department will provide free transport services for schoolchildren for the remainder of the year.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has prohibited third-term examinations for students in Classes 6 to 10 for the 2025 academic year.
The second phase of the third school term in Sri Lanka was initially scheduled to begin on December 8. However, the Ministry of Education postponed the reopening of schools due to the disaster situation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
