More than 120 people have died and over 130 remain missing after Tropical Cyclone Ditwah battered Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Saturday.

The storm, which triggered widespread flooding and landslides, has left a trail of destruction across several districts.

The DMC confirmed that 123 deaths have been recorded so far, with 373,430 people affected nationwide.

More than 43,000 people have been displaced and are currently housed in 488 temporary shelters. Cyclone Ditwah exited Sri Lanka early Saturday, but severe weather continues to batter the island.

The DMC has issued a red-level alert, warning of persistent heavy rainfall, the threat of further flooding, and unstable slopes that could trigger additional landslides over the next 24 hours.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday directed the Tourism Authority to take all necessary steps to assist foreign tourists affected by the emergency. All government offices and schools across the country remain closed due to the extreme weather conditions.

Early Friday morning, Ditwah made landfall over the eastern and central regions with wind speeds touching 65 km/h (40 mph). These regions recorded more than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rainfall between Thursday and Friday.

Dramatic footage released by the Sri Lanka Air Force showed stranded residents being airlifted from rooftops as floodwaters submerged homes and entire streets.

Airlines and transport systems have been severely disrupted. Nearly 300 Indian passengers, including around 150 Tamil travellers en route from Dubai to Chennai via Colombo, were stranded due to flight cancellations and weather-related delays.

With the scale of destruction mounting, the Sri Lankan government is considering a formal request for urgent foreign assistance to support relief and recovery efforts.

The Government of Maldives has extended relief assistance to Sri Lanka through financial support of USD 50,000 and a donation of 25,000 cases of tuna cans.

The Government of Maldives took this decision to extend humanitarian and relief assistance on behalf of the Maldivian people to the people of Sri Lanka, in response to the widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

"This gesture is a demonstration of solidarity with our close neighbour and the friendly people of Sri Lanka. The Maldives hopes that this modest donation will contribute towards the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka, to assist those affected - reflecting the deep commitment to the close bonds shared between the two nations and their peoples," the statement of Maldives Foreign Ministry said in a statement.