47 of its 112 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
25 Sep to 24 Oct: 24 in every 100 of its stories were about people being harmed — about one and a half times the world's share (19).
What stood out
The news pointed at Sri Lanka on 8 of the 30 days held.
Most on Saturday 17 October 2026: 47 of its 112 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
Compared with
the world's news over the same days; "usual" is its own 30 days before.
How it moved
Sri Lanka: stories reporting people killed, out of every 1,000 of its stories
Stories, not people. Dashed line: the world.
Sri LankaThe world
Key events
the events its news covered most, newest on the rightSeptember 2026
25 Sep
Nelliadyprotests & strikes
5 stories, 2 outlets
27 Sep
Nelliadyprotests & strikes
8 stories, 2 outlets
27 Sep
Polonnaruwadeaths, cause not given
9 stories, 4 outlets
28 Sep
Colomboaccidents & disasters
16 stories, 17 outlets
October 2026
4 Oct
Colomboaccidents & disasters
10 stories, 4 outlets
4 Oct
Kandyaccidents & disasters
6 stories, 4 outlets
8 Oct
Medirigiriyaaccidents & disasters
5 stories, 15 outlets
9 Oct
Colomboattacks & violence
19 stories, 8 outlets
12 Oct
Colomboaccidents & disasters
15 stories, 6 outlets
12 Oct
Nawalapitiyaaccidents & disasters
5 stories, 3 outlets
19 Oct
Colomboaccidents & disasters
11 stories, 6 outlets
20 Oct
Colomboprotests & strikes
10 stories, 7 outlets
Scroll sideways for earlier events. Key events are the most covered, not necessarily the most harmful: attacks, accidents and disasters, displacement, protests and outbreaks, ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported them and how clearly they were about one thing, so every year competes fairly.
Its biggest days
when the news pointed at Sri Lanka most44 of its 137 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
59 of its 187 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%.
38 of its 139 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories).
27 of its 111 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).
20 of its 65 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).
2 more days the news pointed at Sri Lanka
30 of its 153 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. 6 of Colombo's 10 stories were about protests or strikes.
41 of its 194 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).
In detail
against the world's news, same daysPeople and attention
a tenththe world's rateten times
About 22 million people live in Sri Lanka. Over these days its news carried 52 stories about people being harmed for every million people — about one and a half times the world's rate (36 per million).
How much of the world's attention reached it for its size: coverage per person, not harm per person. Population is approximate (about 2023).
Parts of life
Share of its stories about people being harmed, by part of life.
Rights & justice35%401 stories
Disasters & accidents16%180 stories
Conflict & violence15%166 stories
Health13%150 stories
Food & livelihood10%112 stories
Deaths & injuries, cause not given5%56 stories
Shelter & services5%53 stories
Displacement1%17 stories
Harm reported
Stories, not people: a story counts once however many people it reports.
Stories reporting people killed230 Stories reporting arrests213 Stories reporting people affected84 Stories reporting people injured52 Stories reporting people displaced9 Stories reporting abductions9 Stories reporting refugees2 Stories reporting evacuations1Harsh or warm words
harshwarm
Its stories' words were a little harsher than the world's.
Filled dot: Sri Lanka. Ring: the world. Measured over 1,137 stories.
Feelings
Angera little less angry than the world's
Griefless grief-stricken than the world's
Feara little more fearful than the world's
Warmtha little less warm than the world's
a quarterlike the worldfour times
Dot: Sri Lanka in these days. Line: the world. Dashed ring: Sri Lanka's own usual (the 30 days before).
Its neighbours, same days
Myanmar47 in 100 of its 370 stories were about people being harmed · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh36 in 100 of its 3,247 stories were about people being harmed · mostly rights & justice Indonesia28 in 100 of its 4,579 stories were about people being harmed · mostly disasters & accidents
Sri Lanka24 in 100
of its 4,681 stories were about people being harmed · mostly rights & justice
India24 in 100
of its 132,856 stories were about people being harmed · mostly rights & justice
Countries that share a border on the map (the nearest ones for an island). A country with few stories ranks lower.
Where it happened
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikes
Sri Lanka (bright) and its neighbours. Dots: its key events in these days. Click a dot for its stories.