Survey of citizens’ perceptions of responses to Cyclone Ditwah

• Social Scientists’ Association releases findings on Cyclone Ditwah relief, recovery, and transparency

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

There is a high level of public satisfaction in the response of Governmental and non-Governmental agencies in the aftershock of Cyclone Ditwah, and with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in particular, according to a recent survey conducted by the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA), Colombo.  

The objective of the study was to learn citizens’ perceptions of institutional responsiveness following Cyclone Ditwah, with particular attention to government action, political leadership, first responders, evacuation centres, relief distribution, transparency in the management of donor funds, and factors perceived to have aggravated the cyclone’s impacts. 

By doing so, the survey sought to gauge the level of public acceptance of the measures and solutions that have already been implemented and being proposed by the government, while also identifying areas of public confidence, and critical gaps in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The findings aim to inform public debate and policy discussions on disaster governance and accountability in Sri Lanka.

The survey pointed to a wide gap between public perceptions of the head of state and the ruling party. While respondents’ satisfaction with the Head of State was nearly 80%, their satisfaction in the responsiveness of National People’s Power (NPP) politicians was nearly 46%. The rating of opposition politicians was even lower: under 24% expressed satisfaction with them. 

Over 70% of the respondents said they are satisfied with the government’s actions in relation to immediate rescue and emergency; distribution of relief supplies; and restoration of essential services. However, this rating drops to 52% when it comes to early warning and evacuation; and 67% in relation to recovery and rebuilding support. 

First responders to the national disaster, ranging from the military, the police, and community volunteers, received over 80% satisfaction rating; with the contribution of foreign disaster relief teams, the local media, and Sri Lankans living abroad, viewed with satisfaction by over 76%. Almost 68% expressed their satisfaction in the response of religious leaders and institutions. 

Among those who sheltered in evacuation centres, over 80% were satisfied with the ease of access to those facilities; over 70% with the space and services provided; and over 78% with security and protection afforded.

The shortcomings that were recorded included: the lack of medical care by 30% of respondents in those safety centres; the absence of psycho-social and mental health support services by 47%; and the lack of assistance for lost and damaged documentation by almost 58%. 

In contrast, 65% reported their satisfaction with the information or support provided by state administrative officials for their compensation applications. 

Over 70% perceived the government’s management of donor funds as transparent; while almost 70% said that the distribution of relief had been fair. 

The top three factors that worsened the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in decreasing order, according to those polled are – settlements located in high-risk areas which are flood or landslide prone; the weak enforcement of land-use and building regulations; and inadequate drainage and water management infrastructure.

These findings are drawn from SSA’s island-wide survey conducted in early to mid-January 2026 across all 25 districts of Sri Lanka, with a sample size of 1,251 respondents. Sample distribution was designed to reflect the ethnic composition and population distribution of each district, including Sinhala, Tamil, Malaiyaha Tamil, and Muslim groups. The data were weighted by ethnicity and district population to reflect the actual district-level demographic composition, ensuring national representativeness. All interviews were conducted in the respondents’ first language by an experienced team of 55 field enumerators. 

The full survey report is open access https://ssalanka.org/cyclone-ditwah-impact-response-and-recovery-survey-findings-of-sri-lankan-public-perceptions/