Disclaimer
This report was compiled by an ADRC visiting researcher (VR) from ADRC
member countries.
The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe ADRC. The boundaries and names shown and the designations usedon the maps in the report also do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the ADRC.

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Sri Lanka
Country Presentation
For Visiting Researcher Programme 2019B, ADRC, Kobe,
Japan

A.M.R.N.K.Alahakoon
Assistant Director (District)
Disaster Management Centre
Ministry of Defence
Sri Lanka
Visiting Researcher (2019 B)
ADRC, Kobe ,JapanVR

Content of the Presentation

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1. General Information of the country
2. Natural hazards in the country
3. Disaster Management System
4. Disaster Management Strategy, Policy and Plan
5. International Cooperation
6. ADRC counterpart (organization name & Contact Information)
07. Research Topic

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GLORY OF SRI LANKA
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Country Profile ofSri Lanka
 Sri Lanka is an Island
 Location
Indian ocean, Indian subcontinent
Latitudes 50.55’‐90.55 N
Longitudes 790.42’‐810.52’ E Land area : 65,610 km2
 Maximum Length :445 km
 Maximum Breadth :225 km3VR

Total Population: 21,670,000
Urban Population: 18.5%
Business Language(s): EnglishReligion
 Buddhist
70.2%
 Hindu
12.6%

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Ethnic Origins
 Sinhalese
74.9%
 Sri Lankan Tamil
11.2%

 Islam
9.7%

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Density: 346 Inhabitants/km²
Official Language: Sinhala, Tamil
Literacy Rate: 90.7%

 Roman Christian
6.2%

 Sri Lankan Moor
9.3%

 Other Christian
1.3%

 Indian Tamil
4.2%

 Other0.05%

 other
0.5%

Administration
District
25VR

Province
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Road Map of Sri Lanka

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Railway Road Map in Sri Lanka

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Raver Basin Map ofSri Lanka

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No of Revers ‐ 103

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Important areas

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ClimateVRVR

 Due to the location of Sri Lanka the climate could becharacterized as tropical Sri Lanka located Inter Tropical Convergent Zone (ITCZ) The topographical features strongly affect the spatial patterns ofwinds, seasonal rainfall, temperature, relative humidity andother climatic elements, particularly during the monsoon season.
 Rainfall in Sri Lanka has multiple origins Monsoonal, Convectionaland expressional The mean annual rainfall varies from 950mm to 5500mm.

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Due to the prevailing tropical climate in Sri
Lanka, wet, dry and intermediate regions areformed by the monsoon rainfall pattern.

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Climate experienced during 12 months period in Sri
Lanka can be characterized in to 4 climate seasonsFirst Inter‐monsoon Season – March‐April
Southwest monsoon season – May‐September
Second Inter‐monsoon season – October‐November
Northeast Monsoon season ‐ December – February

TemperatureV R The average temperature in Sri Lanka is 27.0 °C (81 °F)
 The range of average monthly temperatures is 2 °C
 The warmest average max/ high temperature is 31 °C (88 °F) in February, March,April & May
 The coolest average min/ low temperature is 22 °C (72 °F) in January & February.

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Hazards Profile and Impacts in Sri Lanka

VRVR Tsunami Droughts Landslides
 Floods
 Lightning
 Coastal Erosions
 Wild Elephant Attacks
 Epidemics
 Cyclones
 Fire Tornados
 High Winds Dam Failures10Disaster and Impacts
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DisasterDeaths

InjuredMissing

Houses Destroyed Houses Damaged

Affected

Relocated

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Evacuated

ACCIDENT

34834010575200

ANIMAL ATTACK

977617

2191

7700

80065

0590BOAT CAPSIZE

5843

2300730

CUTTING FAILURE

31561161

2028

30583

00CYCLONE

12140511510

88301

8982830571

CYCLONE & FLOOD

912013178

37371

31912800DROUGHT

0000021415559

0600

DROWNING

246213300310

00

EARTH SLIP

1010756168

3043

00FIRE10214902058

1008

15935

01040

FLASH FLOOD

610282826

18704

00

FLOOD

706

486

113

53807

17383315242913

439421

FOREST FIRE

10061998010GALE

8211137

1858

11820

036

LAND SUBSIDENCE

178069

1742

10403

0401
2357

LANDSLIDE

1001

316

243

2877

12077

292227348

LIGHTNING

516

461

3397534745

03ROCK FALL

39013111

1448

028

STRONG WIND

217

710

687749105353735739161339TSUNAMI30959

19611

190857085

48069

97070500URBAN FLOOD

0000015500TOTAL

35496

23429

2416

15019449065741397027

369

47221

From 1980 ‐ 2020

Potential Disaster Risk Areas

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Landslide Prone areas

Land subsidence areas

Problematic Soils -Drought Prone areas

Flood Prone areas during South
west Monsoon (May – Sep)

Tropical Cyclones

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Flood Prone areas during North
East Monsoon (Dec – Feb)

Tsunami Affected Coastal Areas

MannarDry Zone
AridZone
MihinthalayaAnuradhapura
Puttalama

Dry Zone
DambullaIntermediat
e ZoneMahiyanganaya
IntermediateZone
WetZoneButtalaDry Zone
KataragamaUda
WalawaHambantotaAridZone

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BACKGROUND OF DISASTER MANAGEMENTIN
SRI LANKA

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Ancient documents testify that flood and drought
have been managed through the use of excellent
irrigation management techniques to better identify
wet and dry seasons through advanced irrigation
technology.
With the colonization of the plantation economy
spreading to the central hills, sensitive ecosystems
began to fall into disrepair.
Some of the post‐independence informal
development programs have intensified the effectsof disasters and caused damage to the lives andproperty of the country.

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BACKGROUND OF DISASTER MANAGEMENTIN
SRI LANKA

Establishment of Law and Institution in relation to DisasterManagement from the beginning Ecosystem Management Approaches in early Agrarian Civilization

EARLYPRESE
NTfor Flood and Drought Management
 Land use Management in Colonial cultivation era Flood Ordinance 1955
 1977-1995 Department of Social Service
 1996 National Disaster Management Centre Indian Ocean tsunami of December2004 and “Parliamentary Select Committee
on Natural Disasters”
 Disaster Management Act3 of May 2005
 National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) Chaired by H.E. the President

Ministry of Disaster Management and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC)12BACKGROUND OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN SRI LANKAV RV R Disaster Management Centre/ DDMCU- Mitigation/Awareness/ Preparedness
 Department of Meteorology /Early warning for tsunami, High WindP National Building Research Organization/ Early warning for LandslideRE Department of Irrigation / Early warning for flood
 Land Reclamation Division/ Urban Flood Atomic Energy Authority/ Technological Hazard
 Geological Surveying and Mining Burro / Early Warning for Earthquake
DURING Disaster Management Centre- Emergency Response Coordination
 Ministry of Defense – Search and Rescue Teams District Disaster Management Coordinating Units National Disaster Relief Coordinating Units/ DDMCU
 Ministry of Health – Disaster Response and Preparedness Unit/ Epidemic
 District Secretory/ Divisional Secretory/ GN Office and Local Authorities
 INGO/NGO/ CBO/ International Frameworks (HFA/SFDRR)POSTVLEGAL FRAMEWORK AND COORDINATION MECHANISUM OF
DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN SRI LAKA

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Social Services
Rehabilitation &Reconstruction
Home Affairs
HealthNational Council for Disaster ManagementChair Person: H.E. President
Vice Chairman:
Hon. Prime Minister
Chief Ministers(09)

PoliceOpposition Leader &MPs (5)Land
Fisheries &Aquatic Resources
Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Disaster Management

Housing

Water SupplyHighways

Coast
Conservation

Urban
Development

Irrigation

DOM

Power

NBRO

NDRC

Provincial
Council

DDMCU (25)Divisional
Secretariats
GN Officials

Education
Environment

DefenseDistrict
Secretariats

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Finance

Minister DM

Science &Technology

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Local
Authority

OCDSMedia• NGO’s• CivilSocieties• BusinessCommunity• Privates
Sector

13ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
VRVRMINISTRY OF DISASTER
MANAGEMENTDIRECTOR
GENERALDMC

ADDITIONAL
DIRECTORGENERALMITIGATIONRESEARCHAND
DEVELOPMENT

AWARENESSAND
TRAINING

PREPAREDNESSAND PLANNING•• Hazard Mitigation
DevelopmentProjects• Mainstreaming
DRR• Risk Profile andRisk Analyses• National/District/Divisional/ GN DM
Plan Preparation• Drill/TTEx• Institutional DM
Plans

••

EARLY WARNING
AND
24 x7EMERGENCYOPERATION
117 Call Center

National/District/Divisional DM
committee Meeting
Public AwarenessThroughMedia/Exhibition
DM Training for
Military /Youth andProfessional bodies•••••

Internal
Audit

MediaUnit

HR/Finance

Receiving EarlyWarnings
Dissemination ofWarning
Maintain ing RadioCommunication
Tsunami Towers
Coordinating
Emergency
Response

DDMCUGeneral
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TYPES OF DISASTERS(As per the Act)VR

1.Landslides

2.Cyclones

3.Flood

4.Droughts
Wave)

5.Industrial Hazards

6.Tsunami (Seismic

7.Earthquakes

8 Air Hazards

9.Marine Hazards

10.Fire11.Epidemics

12.Explosions

13.Air Raids

14.Civil or Internal Strife

15.Chemical Accidents

16.Radiological Emergency

17.Oil Spills ( Inland & Marine)

18.Nuclear Disaster

19.Urban and Forest Fire

20 Coastal Erosion

21.Tornadoes, Lightening Strikes and Severe Thunder Storms

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Disaster Management Framework
National to Local Level

Sub Committee at GN level

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DRM Mechanism at Sub-National level
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Key DRR Activities

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 Forecasting and Analysis of Disaster Risks
 Disaster Mitigation
 Strengthen of Response Capacity
 Training and Awareness Preparedness
 Simulation Exercises
 Early Warning &Emergency Response

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Mitigation Activates

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Preparedness Activities

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Awareness Activities
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Response Activities

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Early Warning Dissemination system
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Multi-Hazard Early Warning Dissemination
SystemVRVR

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Emergency Call Centre

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Self evacuation system as a local
system for the Landslides

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International CooperationR

All activities of DRR a line with
 Sendai Framework for DRR
 Sustainable Development Goals
 Legally binding universal agreement onclimate change

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Good and Services Nepal –Earthquake in 2015
 Philippine – Cyclone Haiyan in 2013
 Haiti –Earthquake in 201021

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Disaster InsuranceR

Supporting Agencies
UNDP
ADRC
JICA
ADPC
UNHCR
OCHAWHO
WFO
NGOs
INGOs22

VChallenges/GapsVInsufficient Vulnerability and Risk Analysis in the country.
 Different mandates, priorities and attitudes of Stakeholder agencies.
 Political intervention for disaster management at every time.
 Insufficient financial allocation for DM. Specially the supply ofequipment.
 Less active volunteer participation.
 Night time evacuation.
 No dedicated traffic plan.
 limited human resources in the DMC.
 EW equipment maintenance. (Cost / Monopoly Market)
 Poor recording of disasters.
 Lack of knowledge transferring system.
 Less adaptation of DM practices and Rules and regulation also DMframeworks.
 No master Plan to the country
 ResearchVADRC CounterpartVDirector General
Disaster Management Centre
Vidya Mawatha,Colombo 07
Telephone ( General ) : +94‐112‐136136
Fax ( EOC) : + 94‐112‐670079
Fax ( General) : + 94‐112‐670025
E‐mail : info@dmc.gov.lk , dgdmc@sltnet.lk
Website : www.dmc.gov.lk

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VResearch

V“Study on Preparation of Emergency Response andRecovery Plan in Japan for flood hazard”
After the lecture
about Urban Flood Damages Area andMeasures in Infrastructure
By Associated professor Kenji Kawaike“Study on Preparation of Emergency Response, Recovery
Plan and Structural Counter measures in Japan for floodhazard”

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• Identify a methodology / process to identify the hazard using GIStechnology• Study on a timely early warning system (for formulation, and dissemination)
to all concerned parties according to the mandate or as a practice of theinstitution.
• Study on Immediate and effective emergency response, especiallyconsidering the gender sensitivity (children, women, elderly, disabled etc.)• Study on proper and timely evacuation in accordance with requirement offlood hazard to pre identified safe locations / evacuation centers using newtechnology such as GIS and Remote Sensing• Study on how to develop an emergency response and recovery plan forflood hazard and it practices.
• Study on Implement mitigation & preparedness programmes• Study on rehabilitation & reconstruction programmes incorporating
Disaster Risk Reduction components (Build Back Better).

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