The Registrar General’s Department has decided to issue death certificates for 203 individuals reported missing due to landslides and floods caused by Cyclone "Ditwa".

Registrar General Shashi Devi Jaladeepan stated that, according to a special government Gazette issued on December 02, a death certificate can be issued for a person missing in a state of sudden disaster if no information is received about them after two weeks.

The Department has made this decision to enable the families of the 203 currently missing persons to swiftly obtain government compensation.

The necessary legal provisions have already been implemented, and the authority to issue the death certificates has been delegated to the Deputy Registrar of the respective district, provided the relevant Grama Niladhari confirms that a person, relative, or a friend has gone missing due to this disaster.

If no objections are raised regarding the missing person affected by the disaster, the Divisional Secretary can approve the application, which is then formally approved by the Regional Deputy or Assistant Registrar General, who is authorised by the Registrar General.

Registrar General Shashi Devi Jaladeepan further mentioned that out of the 611 individuals confirmed to have died in the disaster, steps have already been taken to issue death certificates for 126 people.