Cyclone Ditwah Leaves 143 km of Sri Lankan Coastline Polluted

More than 143 kilometres of Sri Lanka’s coastline have been polluted following severe flooding triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) reported yesterday. MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekara said debris washed down from landslide-hit inland areas and waste swept through river basins had accumulated across coastal zones including Colombo, Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam, Kalpitiya and parts of the Eastern Province.

He said at least 5,280 man-hours will be needed for initial restoration work, while waste drifting from the Indian coastline due to monsoon conditions has further worsened the crisis. MEPA has deployed hired workers and regional officers for a clean-up operation expected to last three weeks.

The collected waste will be handed over to local authorities for recycling or disposal, while MEPA prepares an assessment on possible seabed contamination.

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