1ASIAN DISASTER REDUCTION CENTER
Visiting Research Program – FY 2016B

CUNTRY REPORT: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is an island located in the
Indian Ocean. Total land area isabout 65,610 square kilometres.
The central part of the southern halfof the island is mountainous withheights more than 2.5 Km. The Sri
Lanka is multi National,Religious,
Environment and Disasters country.
It is very beautiful island withfauna, flora and natural resources
which cannot be found in the any
country in the world.

J.M.A.R. Jayarathne M.Sc. B.Sc.
Disaster Management Centre
Ministry of Disaster Management
Sri Lanka
ravijayarathne@gmail.com
www.dmc.gov.lk

Safer communities and sustainable development in Sri Lanka”

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)2

Contents

Page no.

1. General Information ....................................................................................... 3
1.1 Geography ............................................................................................. 3
1.2 Climate .................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Demography ........................................................................................... 3
1.4 History of Sri Lanka ................................................................................ 4
2.Natural Hazard in the Country ......................................................................... 7
2.1 Hazard profile of the Country .................................................................. 7
2.3 Major Disasters ...................................................................................... 9
2.4 Recent Disaster Incidents in the Country .............................................. 12
3. Disaster Management System in Sri Lanka ................................................. 13
3.1 Administrative System in the Country ................................................... 13
3.2 Disaster Management Legal System / Framework................................ 14
3.3 Disaster Management Policy ................................................................ 14
3.4 Disaster Management Act (DM Act)...................................................... 15
3.5 National Disaster Management Plan .................................................... 20
3.6 National Emergency Operation Plan ..................................................... 20
3.7 Institutional Disaster Management Plan................................................ 21
3.8 A Road Map For Disaster Risk Management ........................................ 22
3.9 Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan ......................................... 22
4. Disaster Management Committees .............................................................. 22
4.1 National Disaster Management Coordination Committee (NDMCC) ..... 23
4.2 Emergency Response Committee (ERC) ............................................. 24
4.3 Involvement of UN, Red Cross and Other Humanitarian Agencies ....... 24
5. Recent Major Projects ................................................................................. 25
6. Progress of Implementation of HFA and SFA .............................................. 27
6.1 The Four Priorities For Action ............................................................... 27
6.2 Achievements of the HFA and SFA ...................................................... 27
7. Counterpart of ADRC .................................................................................. 30
8. References .................................................................................................. 30

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)3

SRI LANKA
1. General Information
1.1. Geography
Sri Lanka is an island country located in the Indian Ocean. Total land area is about 65,610
square kilometers. The central part of the southern half of the island is mountainous withheights more than 2.5 Km. The core regions of the central highlands contain many complex
topographical features such as ridges, peaks, plateaus, basins, valleys and escarpments. The
remainder of the island is practically flat except for several small hills that rise abruptly in thelowlands. These topographical features (Figure 1) strongly affect the spatial patterns of winds,seasonal rainfall, temperature, relative humidity (RH) and other climatic elements,
particularly during the monsoon season.
Sri Lanka's highest Mountain is Pidurutalagala which is 2,524 meters in height and theelevation map of Sri Lanka shows in (Figure2). Most of the island's surface consists of plains
between 30 and 200 meters above sea level. Hundred and three rivers in the Central
Highlands and flow in a radial pattern toward the sea. Most of these rivers are short. There
are 16 principal rivers longer than 100 kilometers in length, with twelve of them carrying
about 75% of the mean river discharge in the entire country. The longest rivers are theMahaweli Ganga (335 km) and the Malwathu Oya (164 km). The rivers map of Sri Lanka
shows in (Figure 3), in the highlands, river courses are frequently broken by discontinuities inthe terrain, and where they encounter escarpments, numerous waterfalls and rapids haveeroded a passage. Once they reach the plain, the rivers slow down and the waters meander
across flood plains and deltas. The upper reaches of the rivers are wild and usually unnavigable, and the lower reaches are prone to seasonal flooding. Human intervention has
altered the flows of some rivers in order to create hydroelectric, irrigation, andtransportation projects. In the north, east, and southeast, the rivers feed numerous artificial
lakes or reservoirs (tanks) that store water during the dry season. More than 90% of Sri
Lanka's surface lies on Precambrian strata, some of it dating back 2 billion years.

Figure1.Eleevation map of Sri Lanka

Figure2.Topographical map of Sri Lanka

Figure3: River basing map of Sri

Lanka
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency
operation (DMC)

4

Figure 4: Embalm of Sri Lanka

Figure 5: Flag of Sri Lanka

We continued to use it even after gaining independence in 1948. According to therecommendations of a select committee appointed to devise a state emblem more suitablefor Sri Lanka (Ceylon) we opted for a new State Emblem. It had a Lion with Sword in its rightfor paw encircled with a Palapethi open petal design top.
A new republican emblem was chosen after the country was declared a Republic on May 22,
1972. In addition to the lion with a sword and the Palapethi open petal design it portrays the
Punkalasa, dhammachakka, sun, moon and two sheaves of paddy. Figure 4
Sri Lankan flag is Known as the Lion Flag, the flag of Sri Lanka is a rich colorful flag of gold,
green, saffron, and deep red, and depicts a golden lion holding a sword in its right fore paw,in front of a dark red background with four golden bo leaves, one in each corner. Around thebackground is a yellow border, and to its left are 2 vertical stripes of equal size in green andsaffron, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion. Figure 5

1.2 Climate
Sri Lanka lies just above the equator between 5°55'N and 9°55' N and between the eastern
longitudes 79°42' and 81°52'. The maximum length and width of Sri Lanka is 435 km and 225
km respectively. Total area of Sri Lanka is 65610 sq km (Land area: 64740 sq km, Water area:
870 sq km). The climate of the island could be characterized as tropical. The Climate of Sri
Lanka is dominated by the above mentioned topographical features of the country and theSouthwest and Northeast monsoons regional scale wind regimes. The Climate experienced
during 12 months’ period in Sri Lanka can be characterized in to 4 climate seasons (Figure 6)
as follows.
1. Northeast monsoon season – (December – February)
2. First Inter Monsoon Season – (March – April)
3. Southwest Monsoon season – (May – September)
4. Second Inter monsoon season – (October – November)

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)5

Figure 6: Agro – Ecological Zone in Sri Lanka

Due to increase of global warming and climate change scenarios above mentioned time
period has slightly been changed. The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds ofthe Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal and is marked by four seasons. The mean annual rainfall
varies from under 900mm in the driest parts (southeastern and northwestern) to over
5000mm in the wettest parts (western slopes of the central highlands) (Figure 4). Sometimes
tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and easternparts of the island. The average yearly temperature for the country, as a whole, ranges from
26° C to 28° C.
Link for more details - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Sri_Lanka

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)6

1.3 Demography

Percentage distribution of populationby ethnicity, 2012
4.10%

9.30%

0.50%

Sinhalese

11.1%

Tamil
74.%
99.
9

Indian Tamil
SL MoorFigure 7: Population distribution in Sri Lanka in 2012 censes

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note:
English, spoken competently by about 10% of the population, is commonly used ingovernment and is referred to as the link language in the constitution
The Sinhalese make up 74.9% of the population (according to 2012 census) and areconcentrated in the densely populated south-west and central parts of the Island. The Sri
Lanka Tamils live predominantly in the north-east of the island forming the largest minority
group at 11.2% (according to the 2012 census) of the population.
The Moors, who descend from Arab traders that settled in Sri Lanka, form the third largest
ethnic group at 9.2% of the population. They are mostly concentrated in urban areas in thesouthern parts of the island with substantial populations in the Central and Eastern
provinces. During times of Portuguese colonization, Moors were persecuted, and many
forced to retreat to the central highlands and the eastern coast. There are also Indian Tamils
who form distinct ethnic group which comprises 4.2% of the population. The British broughtthem to Sri Lanka in the 19th century as tea and rubber plantation workers, and they remain
concentrated in the "tea country" of south-central Sri Lanka. In accordance with a 1964
agreement with India, Sri Lanka granted citizenship to 230,000 "stateless" Indian Tamils in
1988. Under the pact, India granted citizenship to the remainder, some 200,000 of whom
now live in India. Another 75,000 Indian Tamils, who themselves or whose parents once
applied for Indian citizenship, now wish to remain in Sri Lanka. The government has statedthese Tamils will not be forced to return to India, although they are not technically citizens of
Sri Lanka.
Smaller minorities include the Malays who descent from South East Asian settlers, and theBurghers, who are descendants of European colonists, principally from Portugal, theNetherlands and the UK. (Wikipedia)
Link for details - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Sri_Lanka

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)7

1.4 History of Sri Lanka
History of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. The
Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipawansa the Chulawansa and the Rajawaliya,
record events from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC. The
Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BC by Arahath Mahinda (son of the Indianemperor Ashoka the Great). The European Colonialist arrived in the 16 th century anddisestablishment of the monarchy in 1815. The Portuguese arrived in 1505 and ruled a partof the country’s coastal Area. Then the Dutch rule Lasted from 1656 to 1796 and ruled a partof the country. The British ruled the country from 1796 to 1948. However, by a peacefulprocess and constitutional evolution, Sri Lanka won back her independence in 1948 and is
now a sovereign republic. In 1983 Sinhala and Tamil conflict was started and it ended in 2009
under guidance of his Excellency president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Link for more details - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Sri_Lanka

2. Natural Hazards in the Country.
2.1 Hazard Profile of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka being a small island in the Indian Ocean in the path of two monsoons is mostly
affected by weather related hazards. It is surrounded by 1,340 kilometers of beach frontage
and with an abundance of breathtaking inland waterways, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs
and tanks. Floods mostly due to monsoonal rain or effects of low pressure systems anddroughts due to failure of monsoonal rain are the most common hazards experienced in Sri
Lanka. In 2009, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) initiated a hazard profiles development
process in collaboration with the relevant technical agencies, which are responsible fordisaster mitigation activities of the country. Hence, it was decided to develop nine hazard
profiles of the country namely; Coastal Erosion, Drought, Floods, Landslides, Lightning, Sea
Level Rise, Storm Surge, Tropical Cyclone and Tsunami.
Over the past few decades’ disaster in Sri Lanka have increased substantially. The country isprone to natural disasters caused by floods, cyclones, landslides, droughts and coastal
erosion with increasing instances of environmental pollution related hazards. The
devastation caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 h a s highlighted that Sri Lanka also
vulnerable to tsunami. Except tsunami, Sri Lanka is affected by various natural hazards such as floods, droughts, cyclones, land slights and coastal erosion. Other localized hazards include
lightning strikes, epidemics, high winds, fires and wild elephant attacks. More details please
access the fallowing link.
Link- http://www.dmc.gov.lk/hazard/index-2.html

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)8

Figure 08: Major Hazard prediction calendar in Sri Lanka
DISASTER/INCIDENT

DEATHSINJUREDMISSING

HOUSES
DESTROYEDHOUSESDAMAGED

AFFECTEDTSUNAMILANDSLIDEANIMAL ATTACKCYCLONE
FLOOD
LIGHTNING
EPIDEMICSTRONG WINDFIRE
DROWNING
RAINSGALE
CUTTING FAILURE
LAND SUBSIDENCE
EARTH SLIPCYCLONE & FLOOD
CHEMICALROCK FALL
FOREST FIRE
RETAINING WF
DROUGHTLEAK OR SPILLSTORMTORNADOURBAN FLOOD
TOTAL

30959
980
967
846
559
494
368
148
101
75
26
24
23
17
10
9
5
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
35616

19611
311
605
588
333
437
0
375
356
8
185
121
34
8
10
12
2
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
23000

1908
187
2
21
21
3
0
44
0
13
1
1
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2210

57085
2589
195
18147
52763
28
0
5669
1902
0
418
958
82
69
56
13178
1
10
16
0
0
1
2
25
0
153194

48208
10563
7698
111070160127
255
0
41803
934
0
4400
12675
769
1742
168
37371
0
41
19
4
0
0
33
166
0
4380461076240
15895980062
1371943
13821096
2072
57263542055315058
50745645115767
16155
10403
3043
319128
424
576
198
24
16675914
30690
7
430
155
35437227

Table 01 impact of the human life by disaster from 1974 to 2016 (Desinventar Database)

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)92.3. Major Disasters
Over the past three decades or so various types of disasters have struck Sri Lanka and thelikelihood of recurrence of Natural Disasters like floods, droughts, landslides and cyclones isbound to increase in the future. Several cyclones have struck Sri Lanka in the past few
decades out of which the 1978 event has been the most severe. From 1974 up to 2016 morethan thirty-five major landslides have taken place causing extensive life loss and damage tohouses and infrastructure. In 2016 a severe flood incident was experienced in Colombo
which was attributed to intense rains and storm water drainage problems. Similar events
took place subsequently in urban areas of other districts, and in some districts river floods
are experienced recurrently, such as Gampaha, Kalutara, Kurunagala etc. including the severe
floods of May 2010 and 2016 flood in western, Northern and Eastern Provinces of thecountry.
According to information from the Department of Agriculture, studies have shown that interarrival time of droughts in Sri Lanka may vary from 2 to 10 years. Main Causes of drought are,low rainfall, deforestation, improper land use and unplanned cultivation. In the year 2011 a
severe drought occurred in 17 Districts of the country. In addition to the uncertainties ofweather, with climate change as triggering factor, it is evident that natural hazards arefurther aggravated due to population increase, rural-urban migration and scarcity of safe
lands.
These result in unplanned land use leading to environmental degradation and further
deterioration of drought situation. In the past there have been traditional practices andmethods adopted by the people to reduce hazards and to avoid disasters. With time thesehave been lost due to people occupying new lands not being aware of the hazardous events
prevalent in the area or the traditional practices. Human activities such as filling of low land
which served as water retention areas before tend to increase the frequency of flooding, as
well as their impacts. Haphazard development activities in steep hill slopes contribute greatly
to the occurrence of landslides. These increased incidences have been topped up bymanmade disasters such as traffic and transportation accidents, use of poisonous chemicals,
oil spills, terrorist activities and other.
While earth quakes are not very frequent in the country, a few earth tremors have been
experienced in the recent past, within the country and in the sea south east of the country.
This is a hazard which cannot be predicted in advance requiring risk reduction activities.
Hazards related to animal attacks (wild elephants, crocodiles, snakes etc.), which are on theincrease is reported from many parts of the country. Adverse effects due to the presence ofvarious substances in drinking water have been reported from a few districts, especially
Jaffna, Kurunagala and Gampaha. These include contamination of water sources withpesticides, insecticides, fertiliser, chemicals etc. The adverse effects include diseases such as
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)10fluorosis, renal failure etc. Research studies may be needed to determine the exact causes oftheses.
Risks from hazards due to technological, industrial, chemical, transport, radiological accidents
and fire too should receive adequate attention and should not be underestimated,particularly due to the increasing use of technology and chemicals in industries, increased
trends of transport of chemicals and explosives, increasing number of sky scrapers appearing
in the cities and high rise buildings coming up even in less urban areas. With the rapid
development in the recent past, solid waste has become a hazard and in time to come thismay take disastrous proportions, especially considering the high concentration of multistoreyed residential buildings coming up, the trends in consumer patterns of the people andnon-degradable packaging materials etc. adding to the daily quantities of solid waste.
The possibility of disasters due to nuclear and biological hazards too cannot be ruled out andtherefore needs attention considering the presence of nuclear facilities in neighbouring
countries and other factors. Salawa ammunition stores has blast and causing life loss anddamage to houses and infrastructure unexpectedly in 2016.
Even though epidemics as a direct effect of a disaster are rare, diseases which are common
andearly spreading could occur as outbreaks, due to secondary or indirect effects of thesituation. These diseases may spread as water borne, food borne or droplet infections or as
vector borne diseases.
Sexually transmitted diseases too can affect the victims in the settlements of the internallydisplaced population in the long run but not usually as epidemics. However, these epidemics
will not cause a disaster situation unless other contributory factors are present. If situations
changed, the new diseases such as, Avian Influenza, Hanta virus infection etc. could affectthe country as epidemics which might lead to disastrous situations. Thus making plans for theprevention and control of such infections is crucial for the country to be away from “disasterepidemics” and diseases such as dengue.

The tsunami on 26th of December 2004 was the biggest havoc the Sri Lanka has ever faced.
The southern, western, eastern and northern coastal belt was prone that tsunami event. It
was almost the two third of Sri Lanka’s coastal belt. More than 30,959 people were killed
while 5,644 people were missing and around 100,000 houses had been completely
destroyed. A number of 500,669 people were displaced. The Figure 8 shows the tsunami
affected area of the country. More details please access the fallowing link. (Desinventar)
Link- http://www.desinventar.lk:8081/DesInventar/main.jsp?countrycode=sr&continue=y

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)11

Figure.09. Impact of tsunami 2004

09:00 (3-5m)
08:50 (5-8m)

08:40 (6-10m)

08:30 (7-12m)(4-5 m)09:20(4-9 m)
09:15

08:50 (7-9m)
09:00 (7-9m)

Figure .10: Tsunami affected areas in Sri Lanka

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)12

2.4 Recent Disaster Incident in the country.
a. October 2016, Drought
Nearly 208,000 people from 51,561 families in several districts have been affected by theprevailing drought.69,678 people in Eastern Province, 8,600 people in Northern Province,
8,422 people in North Western Province, over 10,000 people in Sabaragamuwa Province,and 110, 350 people from 23,000 families in North Central Province are facing a water
shortage due to the drought in Sri Lanka.

Figure .11: Drought affected in Sri Lanka

b. May 2016, Flooding
A low pressure zone above Sri Lanka caused heavy rainfall all over the country since 14 th May
2016 to date. Several locations of Kelani , Kalu, Mahaweli, Deduru Oya, Yan Oya, Maha Oya
and Attanagalu Oya are observed rising water levels cause flooding. Nuwaraeliya, atnapura,
Kalutara, Kandy Puttalam, Batticaloa and Anuradhapura are the other district receivedmore
than 100 mm rainfall.

Figure .12: Flood affected in Sri Lanka

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)

13c. May 2016, landslide

Figure .13: Landslide affected in Sri Lanka

2016/05/21 · Landslides have killed 48 people in Sri Lanka,113 missing,257 houses weredamaged,4226 peoples were affected.

d. JUN 2016, Ammunition blast
2016/06/05 · A major fire broke out at the ammunition dump of the Sri Lanka Army Camp at
Salawa, Kosgama.

Figure .14: Salawa ammunition blast and affected in Sri Lanka

3. Disaster Management System
3.1 Administration System in the country.
Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic
republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government,
and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative
power is vested in both the government and parliament. The Parliament has 225 members,
196 members elected in multi-seat constituencies and 29 by proportional representation.
The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve Parliament.
Parliament reserves the power to make all laws.
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Mainly, Sri Lanka have three levels in the political and administrative level. They are
National, Provincial and local authority level. Under the national government all cabinet
and non cabinet ministries are governing all the national and Grama Niladari (smallest
administrative unit) level administration affairs. However, provincial level provincial
government is consisted of provincial level ministries. Under those ministries, several
government institutions such as provincial level schools, hospital, and some government
department are servicing to the people.
Sri Lanka is divided in to 25 districts based on administration prospects and each district isadministered under a District Secretary, who is appointed by the central government. The
main tasks of the District Secretariat are to coordinate, implement and communicate
activities of the central government Through Divisional Secretariats.
The
District
Secretariat is also responsible for implementing and monitoring development projects atthe district level and assisting lower-level subdivisions in their activities, as well as
revenue collection and coordination of elections in the district. A district is divided into a
number of Divisional Secretary Divisions (commonly known as DS divisions), which are also
subdivided into Grama Niladari Divisions.
3.2 Disaster Management Legal System / Framework
Ministry of Disaster Management is the one of vital important ministry in the country
which is mandated for disaster management activities. Disaster Management Centre,
National Disaster Relief Service Centre, National Building Research Organization and
Department of Meteorology are being functioning under the Ministry of Disaster
Management. The main administration system for disaster management of the country
operates under the central government and through the Ministry of Disaster Management.
Link for more details- http://www.disastermin.gov.lk/web/
3.3 Disaster Management Policy
The National Policy on Disaster Management (the ‘Policy’) is a core component of Sri
Lanka’s national regime for disaster management. It articulates agreed overarching
principles and preferred outcomes for disaster management in Sri Lanka. It also provides
policy directives to address the issues such as inadequate coordination among stakeholder
agencies, duplication of efforts and insufficient policy directives to reduce the human andeconomic impacts of disasters which were identified in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami
and the other recent disaster situations.
The 2005 Parliament Select Committee on Natural Disasters recommended formulation ofa national policy to manage disasters after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The Disaster
Management Act, No.13 of 2005 (the ‘Act’) provides that the National Council for Disaster
Management (the ‘Council’) shall formulate such a policy.1 Its preparation was the first
listed of 60 outcomes for the period 2006-2016 under the document Towards a Safer Sri
Lanka: A Road Map for Disaster Management (‘the Road Map’). In accordance with theRoad Map, the Ministry of Disaster Management, as Secretariat of the Council, led a
consultative process to formulate the Policy with input and guidance from relevant
agencies and stakeholders. More details please access the fallowing link.
http://www.disastermin.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/dm%20policy%20full%20ver.pdf
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)15

3.4 Disaster Management Act (DM Act)The Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No.13 of 2005 is the main legal document fordisaster management in Sri Lanka and it was enacted in July 2005 which provides the legal
basis for instituting a disaster risk management system in the country. The National Council
for Disaster Management (NCDM) is a high-level policy making body for safe the country
from any calamities. The chairman and vice chairman of the NCDM is H.E. The President and
Hon Prime Minister respectively. Other members are Leader of the Opposition, Ministers incharge of 20 selected subject areas, Provincial Council Chief Ministers and five members of
the Opposition. The Act also provides for establishing the Disaster Management Centre(DMC) under the Council to be the apex body for the purpose of planning, co-coordinating
and implementing of certain natural and other forms of disasters.

Figure.16 Structure of National Disaster Management Council

Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No.13 of 2005 provides for a framework for DRM in Sri
Lanka and addresses Disaster Management (DM) holistically, leading to a policy shift from
response based mechanisms to a proactive approach towards disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Twenty-one hazards come under the purview of the act.
(a) a landslide;(b) a cyclone;(c) a flood;(d) a drought,(e) an industrial hazard;
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)16(f) a tsunami (seismic wave);(g) an earthquake;(h) an air hazard;(i) a maritime hazard;(j) a fire;(k) an epidemic;(l) an explosion;(m) air raids;(n) civil or internal strife;(o) chemical accident;(p) radiological emergency;(q) oil spills including inland and marine oil spills;(r) nuclear disaster;(s) urban and forest fire;(t) coastal erosion; and(u) tornados, lightning strikes and severe thunder storms;
In addition to the above gazetted disasters, Dam breach, Animal attacks, Drowning and Road
accidents are identified as major threat to the human being in the country. More details
please access the fallowing link.
Link- http://www.dmc.gov.lk/attchments/DM%20Act%20English.pdf
DMC was established in July 2005.

.

Figure 17: Structure of the Disaster Management Centre

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)17

District Disaster Management Coordinating Unit (DDMCUs) has established under theDisaster Management Center for the coordination of local level disaster management
activities. By this time, under the National Disaster Relief service Centre has been
appointed officer at divisional level to coordinate disaster management activities. DDMCU
is doing disaster management activities under the supervision of District Secretary
In December 2005 the Ministry for Disaster Management and Human Rights (M/DM&HR)
was established with the subject of DM listed under its purview. The principal functions of
the Disaster Management Centre as per the act are as follows.
1) Assisting the Council in the preparation of the National Disaster Management Plan

and the National Emergency Operation Plan and proposals for upgrading the same
when it becomes necessary2) Taking responsibility for the implementation of the National Disaster Management

Plan and the National Emergency Operation Plan, and upon the declaration of astate of disaster to direct and coordinate the implementation of the National
Emergency Operation plan3) Ensuring that the various Disaster Management Plans prepared by Ministries,

Government Departments or public corporations conforms to the National Disaster
Management Plan
4) Based on Disaster Management Plans prepared by various Ministries, Government

Departments and public corporations under section 10, preparing andimplementing programs and plans for disaster preparedness, mitigation,
prevention, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities and coordinating oforganizations which implement such programs and plans and obtain financial
assistance from the Treasury for such activities and release the same to therelevant regions and monitor and evaluate these activities
5) Issuing

instructions and guidelines to appropriate organizations, nongovernmental organizations, district secretaries and divisional secretaries on
activities relating to disaster management and initiating and implementing work
programs in co-ordination with such organizations and secretaries

6) Promoting researchand development programs in
relation
to disastermanagement and setting up and maintaining a data base on disaster management

7) Submitting reports to the Council from time to time and whenever required by theCouncil in regard to its activities.
8) To implement the above functions, the Disaster Management Centre has organized

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)18

The disaster Coordination and Early Warning Mechanism form national to sub national levelis shown below.

Overall Coordination

Figure 18: Overall Emergency Response Coordination Flowchart
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)19

Figure 19: Early Warning Coordination framework

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)20

3.4 National Disaster Management Plan (2013 -2017)
Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No.13 of 2005 provides for the development of National
Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) as the overall guiding document consisting of all phasesof disaster management cycle, namely, mitigation, preparedness, response, coordination ofrelief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
NDMP incorporates all aspects such as, institutional mandates and institutional
development; hazard, vulnerability and risk assessment; multi-hazard early warning systems;
disaster preparedness and response planning; disaster mitigation and integration intodevelopment planning; community-based disaster management; public awareness, relief,
immediate recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction; education and training. Plans andpolicies of the related sectors covering the subjects as indicated in the Act have been taken
into account in preparation of this plan.
All state sector agencies, provincial councils and local authorities will have to develop theInstitutional Disaster Management Plan (IDMP) based on the NDMP. The users of this plan
would be all stakeholders; officials of sub-national administration – at Provincial, Local
Authority, District, Divisional and Grama Niladari levels; relevant officers and personnel from
Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, community leaders etc, have been
consulted and their comments were incorporated. This document will be useful in developing
the response and preparedness capacity of the country.

3.5 National Emergency Operation Plan
The objective of establishing a NEOP is to maintain a sustainable mechanism/system,
resources, capabilities and guiding principles with the collaboration of all relevant
stakeholders, for responding to a disaster or emergency situation if and when they occur, inorder to save lives, property and environment; minimize harm and ensure physical andpsychological health of the survivors; and immediate recovery of essential services.
The necessity of a National Emergency Operation Plan (NEOP) was discussed after the 2004
tsunami and documented as far back as 2005 in the Disaster Management Act, No.13 of2005. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was endowed with the task of preparing the
NEOP as required by the Act.

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)21

National Emergency Operations Plan facilitates,assigning responsibilities for organizations and individuals to carry out specific actions at
projected times and places in an emergency that exceeds the capability or routine
responsibility of any one agency.
lines of authority and organizational relationships, and demonstrates how all actions are to
be coordinated.
Protection of people and property in emergencies and disasters.
the utilization of personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and other resources identified
under National and sub-national level Disaster Preparedness Plans for use during response
and recovery operations.
actions to minimize the impact of disasters during response and recovery activities.
Inter/intra-regional cooperation.

3.7 Institutional Disaster Management Plan
All responsible Ministries and departments, agencies will be required to develop a DM Plan
as a part of the total DM Plan within the framework of the National Plan and the National
Policy. Technical agencies responsible for different technological hazards. All national andprovincial educational establishments including schools, universities, technical colleges,
training establishments etc. (private & public). All national and provincial health institutions
including hospitals, clinics, training schools, health facilities, etc. (private & public). Private /government agencies including hotels / inns, offices, factories, commercial establishments
etc. These would include production factories involving explosives, hazardous materials,
chemicals, such storage places etc. In addition, there would be the vital government agencies
responsible for public services and infrastructure facilities. DMC will facilitate in developing
these plans by providing guidance notes, general coverage, necessary circulars tonational/provincial ministries and awareness workshops. DMC will coordinate and monitor
adherence and progress.
In addition, representatives from National, Provincial and District level offices of service
providing agencies will be serving in the disaster management committees at the respective
levels. These agencies, in addition to their DM Plans for their respective agencies, will have arole in the DM Plan at the given administrative level and will have Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) detailing out activities to assist National, Provincial and District level
administrations in an emergency situation after a disaster.

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3.8 A Road Map for Disaster Risk Management“Towards a Safer Sri Lanka: A Road Map for Disaster Risk Management” is the master plan fordisaster management in Sri Lanka. DMC has been accorded the lead role in directing thestrategic planning process for disaster prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. A
comprehensive DRM framework for Sri Lanka will unify the efforts of all agencies working invarious sectors across all regions and levels of development activity. The DMC has
prepared the road Map to identify and coordinate multi stakeholder efforts in the next 10
years through a holistic strategy. According to the Road Map it is focused on seven thematiccomponents which are consistent with ongoing and past efforts in the field of disaster risk
management and development planning, and as in the Hyogo Framework of Action
20052015. The seventh thematic components are as follows.

1. Policy, Institutional Mandates, and Institutional Development
2. Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment
3. Tsunami & Multi- hazard Early Warning Systems
4. Preparedness and Response Plans
5. Mitigation and Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into Development Planning
6. Community-based Disaster Risk Management
7. Public Awareness, Education and Training
The projects and activities for disaster management of the country are based on above seventh
components.

Link for more details- http://www.dmc.gov.lk/Publications/Road_Map_Volume_2.pdf

3.9 Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan (CDMP)
Sri Lanka comprehensive Disaster Management Plan 2014-2018, was introduced in new readmap for DRM activities by Ministry of Disaster Management. It is mainly focused on next fiveyear disaster management countermeasures and Disaster Risk Reduction program hope tobe carried out by Sri Lankan government. In the comprehensive Disaster Management Planclearly identified the 45 institutions which are contributed their service when its
implementation. Currently the plan has been taken the approval from National Planning
Department and the cabinet of Sri Lanka. UNDP and the Treasury funds will be used for the
implementation.
Link for more detailshttp://www.dmc.gov.lk/NDMCC/presentations/Comprehensive%20Disaster%20Managemen
t%20Plan%20for%20Sri%20Lanka2.pdf
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4. Disaster Management Committees
4.1.

National Disaster Management Coordination Committee (NDMCC)

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a cross-cutting and complex issue. Therefore, it requires
political and legal commitment, public understanding, scientific knowledge, carefuldevelopment planning, responsible enforcement of policies and legislation, people
centered early warning systems, and effective disaster preparedness and response
mechanisms. A multi-stakeholder national coordination for DRR can provide or mobilize
the combined knowledge, skills, and resources required for DRR and its mainstreaming intodevelopment policies, planning and programs.
Under the Chairmanship of the Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management the NDMCC’sroles and responsibilities are:•

It is a national mechanism by which the country can address inter-related social,economical and environmental problems;•

It supports the identification of urgent needs in the area of DRR, allocating resources,
presenting time table for actions and monitoring and reviewing the implementationof DRR activities in line with HFA and Road Map;•

It works towards better resourced, effective and integrated DRR efforts amongst
national stakeholders and amongst national, regional and international organizations.
It supports development goals, by providing a framework for systematic thought andcommitment to priority actions across sectors and the territory;•

It serves as catalyst for national consultations and consensus building, as well as for
DRR priority identification and policy formulation, implementation and monitoring
DRR activities. The emphasis should be on managing progress towards DRR objectives
rather than producing a “Plan” as an end product; and•It facilitates the allocation of resources from donors, development banks, and UN
agencies that are not represented in their respective countries. This can be advancedby advocating the importance and necessity for UN country offices to support the
integration
of
DRR
into
UN
backeddevelopment
programs.
http://www.dmc.gov.lk/index_ndmcc.htm

Primary activities of NDMCC•

Establishing baseline information for DRR, including disaster and risk profiles, national
policies, strategies, capacities, resources and programs;

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Identify targets, gaps, concerns and challenges and setting forth accepted priority
areas in DRR; Advocating the urgent need for developing or adopting policies andlegislations for DRR;•

Benchmarking progress made in promoting DRR and its mainstreaming intodevelopment policies, planning and programmers;•

Developing result-oriented work plan for National DM Coordination Committee tocoordinate the DRR activities in line with the HFA and “Road Map for Disaster Risk
Management; Towards a Safer Sri Lanka”;•

Coordinating joint efforts among members of National DM Coordination Committee
to reduce the vulnerability of people at relatively high risk;•

Monitoring, recording and reporting of DRR actions at national and community levels
in line with HFA and “Road Map for Disaster Risk Management; Towards a Safer Sri
Lanka”;•

Documenting lessons learned and good practices, and share the findings at national,
regional and international levels;•

Working towards better integration of DRR into national planning, policies andprograms in development and humanitarian assistance;•

Initiate the Community Based/Led Disaster Management (CBDM) approach atnational level to strengthen community’s decision making process.

4.2.

Emergency Response Committee (ERC)

The Emergency Response Committee consists of representatives appointed from all
emergency response organizations such as tri-Forces, Police, Fire Brigade, Water Supply andDrainage Board and Electricity Board, etc. Main agencies will respond and also coordinate
through their line agencies to assist immediately at a disaster.

4.3. Involvement of United Nations, Red Cross Movement & Other Humanitarian Agencies
The UN agencies, most of which also have pre-existing development-focused relationships
with Member States, provide sector-specific support and expertise before, during and after adisaster. The main UN agencies with humanitarian mandates include FAO, IOM, OCHA,
UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UN-HABITAT, UNICEF, UN Women, WFP and WHO, which support
disaster response across needs, from shelter, protection, food security, health, nutrition,
education and livelihoods to common services like Coordination, logistics andtelecommunications.
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United Nations General Assembly resolution 46/182 defines the role of the United Nations(UN) in coordinating international humanitarian assistance when a Government requests
external support. The resolution establishes a number of UN mechanisms to strengthen
effectiveness of international humanitarian action, namely, the Central Emergency Response
Fund (CERF), the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP), the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC)
and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). SLRCS is generally the first point of contact
for the Government requesting additional support from IFRC (in natural disasters) and ICRC
(in situations of armed conflict). The SLRCS works alongside national and local publicauthorities through their branch network mobilizing trained volunteers in disaster situations.
The SLRCS will acquire adequate resources through the RC movement components uponrequest of the government or based on the severity of the event.
International NGOs operating in emergency preparedness and response include
humanitarian organizations and multi-mandated organizations that operate independently toprovide humanitarian assistance. Many organizations operating in Sri Lanka with groundpresence will coordinate with DMC and the Ministry of Disaster Management in providing
emergency response services based on ground needs. Oxfam, Consortium of Humanitarian
Agencies, World Vision, Handicap International etc., are some of agencies which provide
these services and can be mobilized at the request of DMC based on the needs of theaffected population. Further these agencies will coordinate with their international arms toattend to the activities described in the NEOP before, during and after. Any professionals andorganizations can be engaged with processes based on the severity of the emergency inaccordance with the NEOP with the approval of Disaster Management Centre. The Disaster
Management Centre will closely coordinate their engagement.

5.Recent Major Projects
I.

In Sri Lanka, major disaster mitigation projects are currently going on in various
places giving high priority for vulnerability and needy of the country. In Kandy
district, Garadialle project for landslide mitigation; Jaffna, Kalutara, and Dhabulla
flood mitigation projects etc are major projects Sri Lankan government hascompleted recently for disaster mitigation.

II.

Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan (CDMP), all prioritized disastermitigation projects were identified and based on budgetary provision those projects
will be implemented and some new projects were already started.

III.

Recently National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has introduced the rules
and regulation system with building codes for general public specially for landslide
prone areas unawareness and ignorance, and political interference those policies
are not implemented smoothly.

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26

IV.

Disaster Insurance in Sri Lanka
During last few years Sri Lanka had faced Natural disasters as a result loss of humanlife and damages to property has been significant. Such to overcome such issues toprotect entire country against natural disasters, Natural Disaster Insurance Scheme
was implemented through NITF, since 01/04/2016.

Figure .20: Insurance policy web site in Sri Lanka

Covers lives and properties, specifically all households and small business establishments(any business of which annual turnover does not exceed LKR 10 M) covered up to 2.5 million
rupees each in respect of damages (per event) caused to their property and contents due to
Cyclones, Storm, Tempest, Flood, Land slide, Hurricane, Earthquake, Tsunami and any othersimilar natural perils, excluding Drought. All Fishermen registered under Department of
Fisheries will be covered to the value of Rs.1 Million each.
Limitations
o Death compensation other than fisherman death - Rs. 100,000.00
o Property damage (House and SME) - Max Rs.2.5 Mn
o Fisherman death - Rs. 1,000,000.00 (1 Mn)
More details please access the fallowing link.
Link- http://www.nitf.lk/National%20Natural%20Disaster.html
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6. Progress of Implementation of Sendai framework for Action (SFA) (2015 - 2030)
6.1 The Four Priorities for Action
Priority 1. Understanding disaster risk
Disaster risk management should be based on an understanding of disaster risk in all its
dimensions of vulnerability, capacity, exposure of persons and assets, hazard characteristics
and the environment. Such knowledge can be used for risk assessment, prevention,
mitigation, preparedness and response.
Priority 2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk
Disaster risk governance at the national, regional and global levels is very important for
prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation. It fosters
collaboration and partnership.
Priority 3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience
Public and private investment in disaster risk prevention and reduction through structuraland non-structural measures are essential to enhance the economic, social, health andcultural resilience of persons, communities, countries and their assets, as well as theenvironment.
Priority 4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back
Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction
The growth of disaster risk means there is a need to strengthen disaster preparedness forresponse, take action in anticipation of events, and ensure capacities are in place for
effective response and recovery at all levels. The recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction
phase is a critical opportunity to build back better, including through integrating disaster risk
reduction into development measures.
6.2 Achievements of the HFA and FSA
Disaster management in Sri Lanka became a mainstream subject after 1990, when the
country endorsed the UN supported International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction in
1989. After 2005, with the adoption of the Hyogo Framework for Action(HFA), a more
systematic legal and institutional setup for disaster management was established in the
country. During the HFA era, Sri Lanka enacted the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No13
of 2005 giving provisions to form the National Council for Disaster Management under thechairmanship of His Excellency the President to take all policy decisions pertaining to disasterrisk management; the Ministry of Disaster Management to oversee the administrative roles;
and Disaster Management Centre to coordinate and operationalize the policy decisions takenby the Council. HFA progress reports both from the government and the civil society show
remarkable achievements the country has made in many HFA priorities; especially in priority
1 and 5. However, we also acknowledge the low performance with relevant to Priority 4 of
the HFA. Therefore, the main focus now is on identifying and addressing underlying risk
factors of disasters.
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We also believe that sustainable development can never be possible unless we takeproactive measures to correct our own decisions and actions. We, Sri Lanka, believe that
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction leads the way to show us how disaster risk
reduction could be achieved, which is essential to make the development gains sustainable.
Our challenge is to gradually strengthen our focus on managing disaster risks rather thanmanaging disasters.
We have already taken measures to develop a national action plan and review our existing
legal and institutional framework in the view of the Sendai Framework. Ministry has alreadytaken initiatives to review the existing legal and institutional framework and to identify anappropriate legal and institutional framework in the context of Sendai Framework. It isplanned to develop country’s next National Disaster Management Plan in line with theSendia Framework. We are currently implementing a five-year national program titled “SriLanka Comprehensive Disaster Management Program”, which is also meant to mainstream
disaster risk reduction into sectoral development plans of various other Ministries andagencies. Demonstrating the government’s commitment to disaster risk reduction,
Government has already approved and financed over Rs. 10 Billion worth of project under
the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program.
However, being an island nation, Sri Lanka’s progress in sustainable development ischallenged by both climate change induced and other geo physical disasters making
serious threat to the economic development of the country.
The May 2016 floods and landslides disasters that affected almost 23 of 25 districts of thecountry accounted over Rs. 100 Billion worth damages and losses; most of those belong to
the country’s economic hub. Part of the Colombo city and suburbs went under water
inundating over 40,000 houses. However, we managed to evacuate all the people without
a single loss of life. The recent drought has seriously affected the livelihoods of rural
farmers which necessitated drought relief on a large scale. Climate change predictions
suggest an increasing frequency and exacerbated impact from such events in the future.
The government introduced a risk transfer mechanism through the National Insurance TrustFund to cover all the houses and small to medium business enterprises in Sri Lanka against
natural disasters. The total annual premium of the insurance policy amounting to Rs. 300
million is paid by the government.
Our success in facing such challenges rely on our commitment in understanding disaster risks,adequacy of our governance systems in addressing disaster risks, our commitment ininvesting in disaster risk reduction and our preparedness to face any unforeseen disasters aswell as our preparedness for resilient recovery. These are core priorities of the Sendai
Framework. It is also necessary that we build synergy between disaster risk reduction andclimate risk reduction. Sri Lanka would like to re-emphasize our commitments to implement
the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and provide our fullest support to regional
initiatives to achieve our common goals in disaster risk reduction.
Sri Lanka always believe that challenges faced by us today and in the future could be bettercombatted by increased cooperation among nations. The agreements came into force in
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)292015 such as sustainable development goals (SDGs), Sendai Framework and Paris
Agreement are for such common course. We as a signatory to the Paris Agreement
welcome the commitment made by other countries in the region to support achieving
emission targets. We are thankful to SAARC secretariat for facilitating an agreement on
Rapid Response to Natural Disasters among member countries and initiating a program topromote Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia in line with the Sendai
Framework. We also believe that for the meaningful implementation of the Sendai
Framework and other agreements and frameworks, we need to look for ways to improve
the technical cooperation of the countries, in terms of research, information sharing
including satellite imagery for risk assessment, disaster preparedness and recovery andalso on lessons sharing. Those will enhance our efforts in implementing the Sendai
Framework and achieve sustainable development.
National Planning Department of the Ministry of Finance has agreed to consider DRR in
approving development plans provided guidelines are developed for such a process. DMC
is working with Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and other agencies to develop suchguidelines. National Water Supply and Drainage Board has initiated implementation ofaugmentation program in western, central, and southern provinces. New water supply
schemes are being developed for northern and eastern provinces. NDMCC meets regularly
and discuss programs implemented by members and policy requirements to make theimplementation more effective. Hazard cycle for Sri Lanka has been developed and given
to district administration to prepare disasters such as floods, landslides and cyclones.
Nearly 40% of the activities identified in the Road Map have been commenced.
DM Act is being modified giving more authority to DMC for coordination of DM Activities.
Draft Act has been forwarded to Attorney general Department. Disaster
Management concepts were included in the Local Government (LG) policy which has been
approved by the govt. DMC has already provided disaster concerns to be incorporated in to
the act based on the LG policy. Development DM plans for Northern Province has beencommenced. Training of officials in Government and LG sector on DM and development ofplans commenced.
DMC with the assistance of Urban Development Authority, practical Action and ADPC hascommenced three pilot projects in southern and eastern provinces to prepare urban
development plans for selected towns. UDA has agreed to issue instructions to planning
officers to follow Guidelines developed in future urban development planning process.
Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in to housing is being undertaken with the assistanceof ADPC. All agencies in state sector were involved.
Training program conducted for technical Officers in the Eastern province to introduce theguidelines developed for construction of disaster resistance buildings. Building application
used by Local Authorities for approval of land subdivision plans and building plans arebeing modified with the Concurrence of UDA to included DRR concepts. Draft format has
been submitted to UDA for their consideration. Environment Authority invites DMC for the
meetings where EIA reports are discussed. Integrated Strategic Environment Assessment(ISEA) for the Northern Province is been developed with the assistance of all stakeholders.
Proposed development plans are incorporated in the ISEA and areas for development are
been identified. Discussions are in progress with relevant development agencies to identify
ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)30

conflict areas and find solutions. Hazard maps for landslides in Nuwaraeliya districts were
given to agencies involved in development and development control and officers weretrained for the used hazard maps.
More detail also can be obtained by using fallowing references.

7. Counterpart of ADRC
Disaster Management Center
Ministry of Disaster Management
Vidya Mawatha,
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
www.dmc.gov.lk
Tel. +94112136136/+94112670002
Fax. +94112670075/+94112670025

8. References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005.
Disaster Management Policy of 2014.
National Disaster Management Plan. (2013-2017).
National Emergency Operation Plan 2016 -2020
Sri Lanka National Report on Disaster Risk, Poverty and Human Development Relationship.2015.

6. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preparedness
7. Ministry of Disaster Management. (2014) Sri Lanka Comprehensive Disaster Management
Programme, (2014-2018), Government of Sri Lanka, March, 2014.
8. http://www.disastermin.gov.lk/web/
9. http://www.dmc.gov.lk
10. http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/news/?cid=162
11. http://www.meteo.gov.lk
12. http://www.treasury.gov.lk/FPPFM/fpd/pdfdocs/annualReport2010/AnnualReport2010-eng.pdf
13. http://www.nitf.lk/Home.htm
14. http://www.nbro.gov.lk/web/15. http://www.ndrsc.gov.lk/web/

ADRC: Country Report - Sri Lanka by J.M.A.R. Jayarathne Deputy Director Emergency operation (DMC)