National Council for Disaster Management convenes under patronage of President

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

The 16th meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management was held yesterday morning (15) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

During the meeting, a Cabinet Memorandum was presented on the establishment of a National Integrated Disaster Management Mechanism and on proposed amendments to the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005.

Attention was also drawn to reducing landslide risks in plantation areas through a multi-stakeholder approach. In this regard, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) was tasked with coordinating relevant stakeholders, plantation companies and local authorities to provide recommendations and establish a certification mechanism for activities including the construction and rehabilitation of drainage systems.

The Council further discussed the formulation of a Central Fragile Area Management Plan. This includes the appointment of technical committees, the preparation of an integrated plan by consolidating data from all relevant institutions and the development of a unified digital platform that allows shared access to such data across agencies.

In order to ensure transparency in the coordination of all foreign relief assistance and supplies, approval was granted to establish a Foreign Aid Coordination Committee, along with the delegation of the necessary powers.

The National Council for Disaster Management convened under the President’s leadership on 7 August after a lapse of seven years and met again on the night of 27 November in response to an emergency disaster situation. The Council met again today to take policy decisions and provide institutional guidance aimed at restoring normalcy to public life following Cyclone Ditwah.

The Director General of the Disaster Management Centre informed the Council that approximately 2.2 million people across the island have been affected by Cyclone Ditwah. A total of 6,164 houses have been fully damaged and 112,110 houses partially damaged. As of 14 December 2025, 72,911 people are residing in 796 safe shelters. Extensive discussions were held on the ongoing programs to provide relief, facilitate resettlement and restore livelihoods to normalise daily life.

Under the Government’s program to identify a permanent solution to protect the Central Highlands, the President stated that 15,000 houses currently located in high-risk zones have been identified. He further noted that the Government expects to complete the construction of 8,000 houses for these affected families by the end of 2026.

The meeting also addressed issues related to the disbursement of the Rs. 25,000 allowance provided by the Government for cleaning flood-affected houses. The President instructed officials to resolve the identified issues and complete the payment of the relevant funds within this week.

Special attention was paid to challenges in data collection and updating. Both the President and the leader of the Opposition emphasised the need for a structured and systematic process. The necessity of a legal framework to support data collection and updating was also discussed, with the President stressing the importance of identifying practical solutions to this issue within the next three years.

Referring to the floods in 2016, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma revealed that the Government had paid Rs. 7.51 billion to affected citizens as compensation for damages, while reinsurance recoveries amounted to only Rs. 1.42 billion, resulting in a net loss of Rs. 5.79 billion to the State, as identified by the Finance Ministry.

The President emphasised that if such an insurance scheme is to be continued, it must be structured in a manner that is financially viable for the Government while ensuring maximum protection for beneficiaries. He further stressed that any decision to reintroduce the scheme should be made only after obtaining expert advice and implementing the necessary critical reforms.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lalkantha, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala, Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister A.H.M.H. Abhayaratne, Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe, Energy Minister Eng. Kumara Jayakody, Transport and Highways Minister Bimal Ratnayake, Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Minister Upali Pannilage, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti, Defence Deputy Minister Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), Western Province Governor Hanif Yusuf, North Western Province Governor Tissa Warnasuriya, Central Province Governor Prof. S.B.S. Abeykoon, Sabaragamuwa Province Governor Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Eastern Province Governor Jayantha Lal Chandrasekara, North Central Province Governor Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri, Northern Province Governor Nagalingam Vethanayahan and Uva Province Governor Kapila Jayasekara, were among those present.

Also in attendance were Opposition Members of Parliament S.M. Marikkar, B. Ariyawansa, Pathmanathan Sathyalingam, Anuradha Jayaratne and Udumalebbe, Defence Ministry Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha, Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Commissioner General of Essential Services and Plantation and Community Infrastructure Ministry Secretary Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry Secretary S. Aloka Bandara, Department of Meteorology Director General A.K. Karunanayake, Disaster Management Centre Director General, Major General Sampath Kotuwegoda, along with the Commanders of the Tri-Forces, heads of the security forces and senior Government officials.