Sri Lanka is grappling with a massive recovery effort after Cyclone Ditwah triggered severe flooding and landslides, leading to catastrophic damage and widespread network outages across the island. The disaster has tragically claimed more than 335 lives, left nearly 400 people missing, and affected over 1.3 million individuals nationwide. Evacuation warnings remain in place for low-lying areas due to rising river levels, as reported by the National Disaster Management Centre.
Widespread Network Disruption
The cyclone’s impact caused major service interruptions, particularly in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, and Ratnapura. A significant portion of the national network was disrupted due to widespread power outages and physical damage to backbone optical-fibre networks. This lack of connectivity has critically hampered emergency coordination and isolated families in affected areas.
In response to the crisis, all national telecommunication operators have extended free mobile connectivity until Tuesday, December 2nd, to assist affected households and support essential relief operations.
Coordinated Recovery Efforts
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) convened emergency meetings on November 28th with the country’s major operators: Dialog Axiata, SLT-Mobitel, and Hutch. The TRCSL emphasized the urgent need for seamless collaboration with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to rapidly deploy generators and backup power solutions to affected sites.
Field teams are currently prioritizing several crucial recovery actions:
Backbone repairs to fix the damaged optical-fibre infrastructure.
Site stabilization of damaged towers and network equipment.
Temporary power installations using backup generators.
The primary goal is the rapid restoration of essential voice, data, and emergency lines to support public safety and family communication needs.
Partner Support
The national response is being bolstered by support from long-standing infrastructure partners. Huawei Technologies Lanka has activated its Business Continuity Management (BCM) mechanism, establishing a dedicated network-support task force of more than 80 personnel. This team includes engineers actively assisting all major operators—Dialog Axiata, SLT-Mobitel, and Hutch—by providing technical support, specialized components, and on-site recovery work in the worst-hit districts.
This united effort, encompassing government direction, operator action, and technical partner support, underscores the critical role reliable connectivity plays in managing the crisis, enabling rescue operations, and keeping families connected during a national emergency.
