(MENAFN) Sri Lanka imposed emergency rule Saturday and issued urgent international appeals as Cyclone Ditwah's death toll surged to 153 with nearly 200 residents unaccounted for, local outlets confirmed.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake activated emergency powers across the island nation following catastrophic destruction from the cyclone, with casualties projected to climb higher, media reported.

The Disaster Management Centre confirms 191 individuals remain missing amid relentless severe weather battering the South Asian country.

Search teams continue operations despite torrential downpours, devastated road networks, and extensive electrical and telecommunications failures throughout affected regions.

Colombo announced that expatriate Sri Lankans and international donors can contribute directly to relief initiatives, with banking information accessible through Sri Lankan embassies and diplomatic posts, media reported.

Since Cyclone Ditwah struck the island Wednesday, 774,724 people from 217,263 families have faced impact, while authorities have relocated 100,898 residents to 798 emergency shelters.

The nation has endured punishing conditions—including relentless rainfall, surging floodwaters, and deadly landslides—since November 17.

Officials broadcast critical flood warnings for multiple major river systems, ordering immediate evacuations for downstream populations.

Dissanayake mobilized over 20,000 military troops for rescue missions, media reported.

Authorities previously declared red-alert landslide advisories across eight high-risk districts, indicating extreme danger to mountainous terrain, hillside settlements, and susceptible areas.

All India Radio forecasts Ditwah will reach India's southern Tamil Nadu state coastline by early Sunday, threatening aviation schedules and educational operations in certain zones.

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