The International Labor Organization (ILO) says that about four lakh workers have been affected by Cyclone ‘Ditwa’ in Sri Lanka.
The cyclone, which struck in late November, killed more than 640 people and caused massive damage to crops, tea gardens and critical transport infrastructure, including roads and bridges.
The ILO said in a brief report on Tuesday that the population living in cyclone-affected areas is about 1.7 million, which is about 7.5 percent of Sri Lanka’s total population.
According to the report, about 3.74 lakh workers live in cyclone-affected areas in the country, which has deeply affected their livelihood and household income. The ILO said the estimated affected workforce includes 2.44 lakh men and 1.30 lakh women.
“As per sector-wise data, 85,000 agriculture sector jobs, 1.25 lakh industrial sector jobs and 1.64 lakh service sector jobs have been affected,” it said.
Due to floods and landslides, about 16 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), which is estimated to be worth about US $ 16 billion, is at risk. Its impact is concentrated in a few limited districts.
The ILO warned that if this problem is not addressed in time, the risk of uneven recovery may increase and the economic crisis may persist at the local level for a long time.
Floods and landslides in key production areas not only threaten short-term employment, but also undermine long-term food security and people’s livelihoods, the report said.
According to the ILO, this crisis has come at a time when Sri Lanka is already facing many labor market challenges, including the post-conflict era, the COVID-19 crisis and a slowdown in exports.
