Upto 374,000 workers affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, ILO estimates

A new, brief study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) shows that  upto 374,000 Sri Lanklan workers were affected by the devastating Cyclone Ditwah.

The study combined remote sensing data on flood extent, population, agriculture and nightlight with labour force survey data to provide a preliminary snapshot of the situation in the affected area. This innovative approach provides timely insights into the potential impact on livelihoods and aims to guide both the emergency response and medium-term support to help workers regain a foothold in the labour market, the organization said in a statement.

The affected workers were from the area directly impacted by floods and landslides. This represents US$48 million in potential earnings lost per month if these workers are unable to work or find quality employment elsewhere. Agriculture and fisheries sector were severely hit. Up to 23 per cent of rice-cultivating land has been affected by the floods, and preliminary estimate of output losses in the tea industry could be as high as 35 per cent. In the latter, smallholder farmers, who account for 70 per cent of sectoral output, have been disproportionately affected, the ILO added.

Considering these disastrous conditions, the brief study calls for immediate measures to support the restoration of livelihoods. Emergency cash assistance and the widespread rollout of employment-intensive recovery activities that ensure decent working conditions should be prioritised in the short -term, combined with specific sectoral support and assistance to MSMEs to swiftly restore means of production. Such programmes must prioritise the most vulnerable, be conflict-sensitive, work through workers’ and employers’ organisation, and interact directly with community stakeholders. Medium-term recovery efforts should integrate lessons from this event to improve coverage, adequacy and coordination between wage protection, social protection, employment policies, and disaster risk management frameworks.