• Death toll in Sri Lanka from Cyclone Ditwah reaches 627.
• Over 2 million people affected by floods and landslides in Sri Lanka.
• International aid is mobilized to rescue stranded communities.

Sri Lankan authorities have issued fresh landslide warnings as Cyclone Ditwah continues to batter the nation, with the official death toll rising to 627. More than two million residents are affected by the cyclone's aftermath, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the population, and at least 190 individuals are still unaccounted for, according to Dawn and Indiatimes.

The ongoing natural disaster chain has caused significant casualties across Southeast and South Asia, with at least 1,826 deaths reported as of now in countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Helicopters and planes have been deployed to aid communities cut off by landslides, while the Sri Lanka Air Force received relief supplies from Myanmar, underscoring the international response to the crisis, as detailed by SCMP and Dawn.

As officials and rescue teams scramble to reach the isolated areas affected by both flooding and landslides, immediate needs include clean drinking water and essential supplies for displaced families. Amid these challenges, protests have emerged in Indonesia, where leaders are accused of focusing more on their visibility than actual relief efforts, a sentiment echoed in the Asian crisis overall, according to Indiatimes and SCMP.

The Sri Lankan government has unveiled a major compensation plan for survivors, which aims to rebuild homes and support the affected communities, with aid provisions expected to rise significantly. The cost of recovery and reconstruction has been estimated at up to US$7 billion, highlighting the economic burdens faced by a nation already grappling with financial instability, as reported by Dawn and Indiatimes.