Why sign language matters in emergencies: A Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteer's story from Cyclone Ditwah

Why sign language matters in emergencies: A Sri Lanka Red Cross volunteer's story from Cyclone Ditwah By Muhamad Fadzil bin Saadul Baharim, IFRC Senior Officer, Audio-Visual and Social Media When Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in November 2025 , warnings and updates blared from radios, televisions, and loudspeakers — nearly all of it spoken. Information travels by voice. "For deaf people, that information didn't reach them," says 21-year-old Praveen Waas, a Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) volunteer. "Being deaf is not a limitation," he adds. "What really limits people is the lack of access to information." Praveen speaks from lived experience. He is a hearing man, the elder of two sons born to deaf parents. He grew up watching how quickly critical information spreads during emergencies — and how easily people like his mother and father could be left out simply because messages weren't shared in ways everyone could understand. Sri Lanka Red Cross Society members assess damage inside a house affected by Cyclone Ditwah. Photo: Sri Lanka Red Cross Society When information disappears During the SLRCS response to Cyclone Ditwah, Praveen met a young deaf man who was visibly confused.