Sri Lanka's Fight for Recovery After Cyclone Ditwah

Sri Lanka is facing a tough time after Cyclone Ditwah. The storm caused a lot of damage and left more than 643 people dead. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stepped in to help. They gave Sri Lanka $206 million in emergency money. This is to help with the urgent needs from the cyclone and to keep the country's economy stable. The IMF said the storm created big problems. It caused humanitarian crises and the need for reconstruction. The money from the IMF will help with these issues. The storm hit just as Sri Lanka was finishing a review of its $2. 9 billion bailout from the IMF. Because of the storm, this review was delayed. A team from the IMF will go to Sri Lanka in early 2026 to continue talks.Sri Lanka has been going through hard times. In 2023, it had its first-ever sovereign default. This meant it couldn't pay back its debts. To fix this, Sri Lanka made tough reforms and signed a deal with the IMF. The deal was for four years and aimed to improve the country's welfare-based governance. Before the IMF's decision, Sri Lanka's parliament approved a supplementary budget of LKR 500 billion. This money is to help the people affected by the cyclone. The government said it's needed to restore livelihoods. The storm has made things harder for Sri Lanka. But with the help from the IMF and the new budget, the country is trying to recover. It's a long road ahead, but steps are being taken to rebuild and stabilize the economy.