Press conference held on Sri Lanka’s disaster situation due to severe weather

A special press conference was held yesterday (January 21) at the Disaster Management Centre in Colombo, chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), to inform the public about the disaster situation caused by severe weather conditions affecting Sri Lanka.

During the conference, the Deputy Minister reported that 19,032 individuals from 5,821 families across 127 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in 18 districts have been displaced due to the disaster.

These individuals are currently sheltered in 17 relief centres, where efforts are underway to provide essential infrastructure, dry rations, and cooked food.

The disasters have resulted in two fatalities, 10 houses completely destroyed, 438 houses partially damaged, 25 small and medium-scale businesses lost, and significant damage to two critical infrastructure facilities.

Following directives from Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, agencies such as the Disaster Management Centre, National Disaster Relief Services Centre, National Building Research Organization, Department of Meteorology, and Ministry of Defence are working around the clock to deliver relief to affected communities.

District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries, state officials, the tri-forces, Sri Lanka Police, Civil Defence Department, and other relief organizations are actively participating in these efforts. Additionally, with many tanks and irrigation channels at overflow levels, work to reinforce vulnerable embankments is being conducted under the supervision of irrigation engineers.

Under the President’s directives, the government has allocated 30 million rupees for disaster relief. Daily food ration allowances of 1,800 rupees per displaced person have been arranged, with additional amounts of 2,400, 2,800, 3,200, and 3,600 rupees based on family size. Furthermore, the government has increased the compensation for loss of life from 250,000 rupees to 1 million rupees.

The Deputy Minister also stated that, according to the Meteorological Department’s forecasts, the adverse weather is expected to subside in the coming days.

He acknowledged that media and social media awareness campaigns based on weather forecasts have helped minimize the risks and damage caused by landslides and floods. He expressed gratitude to media organizations and the public for adhering to safety instructions.

The Minister emphasized that the state mechanism for disaster preparedness is well-established and that relevant institutions, including disaster relief teams, are effectively executing this process. He urged the public to continue following government instructions and warnings to reduce potential damage.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, the Director General of the Department of Meteorology, and officials from the Disaster Management Centre, National Disaster Relief Services Centre, National Building Research Organization, Department of Meteorology, Ministry of Defence, and the tri-forces were also present at the media briefing.