374,000 Workers Affected by Cyclone Disaster – ILO

25-Dec-2025

.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has reported that 374,000 workers, including 244,000 men and 130,000 women, have been affected by the disaster following Cyclone, with total monthly income losses estimated at USD 48 million.

Floods and landslides triggered by the cyclone killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands, destroying homes and livelihoods.

According to a preliminary ILO assessment, the disaster threatens 16 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP, valued at approximately USD 16 billion, and warns that without targeted recovery measures, long-term economic damage could worsen.

The report notes that 85,000 affected workers were in agriculture, 125,000 in industry, and 164,000 in services. Nearly 29,600 registered micro, small, and medium enterprises were affected nationwide, including 12,300 micro-enterprises.

Agriculture and fisheries, which together account for a quarter of total employment, were severely impacted, including tea plantations employing over 2.5 million people and generating USD 1.3 billion in annual exports.

The ILO recommended immediate short-term financial assistance for severely affected workers, particularly women and those in informal employment.