COLOMBO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has extended the state of public emergency by one month following the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, according to a gazette notification issued under the signature of Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, secretary to the president.

This photo taken on Dec. 23, 2024 shows a train by the sea in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Xinhua)

The notification said the extension aims to ensure public safety, maintain normalcy across the country, and sustain essential services needed for daily life.

Authorities also extended a separate gazette notification designating a range of services provided by state institutions, local authorities, cooperative societies, and their branches as essential services.

These services include electricity supply, the distribution of petroleum products and gas, healthcare and public transportation.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake first declared a nationwide state of public emergency on Nov. 29, 2025, after Cyclone Ditwah made landfall and caused extensive damage across the island. This state has since been extended three times.