Villa Group joins Maldivian aid efforts with USD 100,000 donation to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

Villa Group, owned by Maldivian businessman and MP Gasim Ibrahim, has donated USD 100,000 to Sri Lanka to assist with relief efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.  

The donation was handed over by Villa Resorts CEO Siyad Gasim, son of Gasim Ibrahim, to Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassen.  

The cyclone has claimed at least 334 lives in Sri Lanka, with nearly 400 people still missing, according to recent reports. The Kandy region recorded the highest number of fatalities today. A state of emergency has been declared, with one-third of the country left without water and electricity.  

Villa Group’s contribution follows a USD 200,000 pledge by Sun Siyam Group, which began disbursing the funds on Sunday with an initial USD 75,000 installment.  

In addition to corporate donations, government agencies and the public are actively supporting the “Ceylon aaeku Dhivehin” telethon, which has so far raised over MVR 11 million.  

• The Maldives Police Service made the largest single donation of MVR 2.4 million  

• The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) contributed MVR 1 million  

• Donation boxes have been placed in Male', Hulhumale', and Vilimale', drawing strong public participation  

The Maldivian government has also pledged USD 50,000 in direct aid and 25,000 cases of canned tuna as part of its official relief package.  

Cyclone Ditwah is now considered one of the deadliest weather disasters in Sri Lanka since the June 2003 floods, which killed 254 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.