My name is Senuri Jayasinghe, a Sri Lankan from the Nuwara Eliya area, currently living in Canada. Today I am writing this with a very heavy heart to raise funds for my own community—the vulnerable families affected by the cyclone. 100% of all donations (apart from unavoidable GoFundMe and bank transaction fees) will go directly to those affected towards essential relief & support. .

Update: Current Impact in Nuwara Eliya & Sri Lanka 2/12/2025

I was finally able to speak to my father, family, and friends in Nuwara Eliya after 4 days once networks were restored. I’m incredibly grateful that they are safe — but there are many others in the district whose safety and whereabouts are still unknown, and whole communities that are deeply affected.

Nationwide impact (official DMC figures):

Nuwara Eliya district:

Nuwara Eliya is one of the worst-hit districts, with around 68 confirmed deaths, alongside Kandy and Badulla as the hardest-hit central highland areas.

Displacement & shelters:

Over 120,000 people are reported to be sheltering in nearly 900 temporary camps nationwide after being forced from their homes.

On-the-ground conditions in and around Nuwara Eliya:

Certain areas are still experiencing NO FOOD, NO CLEAN WATER, NO POWER and extremely limited access to basic supplies.

Local shops and supermarkets in the hill country are struggling with empty shelves and supply shortages.

Priority support for the most vulnerable households in and around Nuwara Eliya.

Thank you to everyone who has donated and shared so far — these numbers show just how critical the need still is.

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My name is Senuri Jayasinghe, a Sri Lankan from the Nuwara Eliya area, currently living in Canada. Today I am writing this with a very heavy heart to raise funds for my own community—the vulnerable families affected by the cyclone. The money will go toward essential relief such as food, clean water, basic medicines, hygiene items, clothing, and support for temporary shelter, distributed through trusted local contacts and volunteers on the ground.

Over the past few days, Cyclone Ditwah has unleashed devastating floods and landslides across Sri Lanka. Entire communities have been swept away, homes buried, and families torn apart. News reports confirm that more than 50 people have lost their lives and many more are missing, with the central tea-growing regions — including Badulla and Nuwara Eliya — among the hardest hit.

In Nuwara Eliya, where my father and many of my close friends live, landslides and flooding have destroyed homes and cut off entire neighborhoods. Hundreds of families have been affected, with people evacuated from their houses under emergency landslide warnings and forced to seek shelter in temporary camps, churches, and schools. Many have lost everything overnight — their homes, their livelihoods, and in some cases, their loved ones.

Right now, I am unable to contact my dad or my friends in Nuwara Eliya because of power cuts and damaged communication lines. I have not heard from them in days. From here, abroad, all I can do is pray for their safety — and take action to support those who are suffering.

What’s Happening on the Ground

This is not just a headline to me — it is my family, my friends, and my community.

How Your Donation Will Help

Your support will be used to bring immediate relief to families affected by the cyclone, with a special focus on Nuwara Eliya and other heavily impacted central areas. Funds raised will go toward:

I will be coordinating with trusted local contacts and community volunteers on the ground in Sri Lanka to ensure that funds are directed to the most affected and vulnerable families, especially in and around Nuwara Eliya. Wherever possible, I will share updates, photos, and breakdowns of how funds are being used so you can see the impact of your generosity.

Why This Matters

Many of the people affected are daily wage earners, tea estate workers, and low-income families who already lived with very little margin for crisis. A disaster like this doesn’t just damage property — it wipes out livelihoods and pushes already vulnerable families deeper into poverty.

If you are reading this from abroad and unable to reach your loved ones too, I see you and I feel your fear and helplessness. While we wait for phone calls and messages, we can stand together and turn our worry into tangible help for those who are suffering right now.

How You Can Help

1. Donate whatever you can — no amount is too small.

2. Share this campaign with your friends, family, workplaces, and communities.

3. Keep Sri Lanka in your thoughts and prayers.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for caring about a small island that is hurting right now, and for standing with my community when they need it the most.

Together, we can bring a bit of light and hope into this very dark moment.