The sixteenth assembly of the Nationwide Council for Catastrophe Administration was held this morning (15) on the Presidential Secretariat underneath the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
In the course of the assembly, a Cupboard Memorandum was introduced on the institution of a Nationwide Built-in Catastrophe Administration Mechanism and on proposed amendments to the Sri Lanka Catastrophe Administration Act, No. 13 of 2005.
Consideration was additionally drawn to decreasing landslide dangers in plantation areas by a multi-stakeholder method. On this regard, the Nationwide Constructing Analysis Organisation (NBRO) was tasked with coordinating related stakeholders, plantation corporations and native authorities to offer suggestions and set up a certification mechanism for actions together with the development and rehabilitation of drainage programs.
The Council additional mentioned the formulation of a Central Fragile Space Administration Plan. This consists of the appointment of technical committees, the preparation of an built-in plan by consolidating information from all related establishments and the event of a unified digital platform that permits shared entry to such information throughout companies.
With the intention to guarantee transparency within the coordination of all international reduction help and provides, approval was granted to determine a Overseas Assist Coordination Committee, together with the delegation of the required powers.
The Nationwide Council for Catastrophe Administration convened underneath the President’s management on August 7 after a lapse of seven years and met once more on the night time of November 27 in response to an emergency catastrophe scenario. The Council met once more right now to take coverage selections and supply institutional steerage aimed toward restoring normalcy to public life following Cyclone Ditwah.
The Director Basic of the Catastrophe Administration Centre knowledgeable the Council that roughly 2.2 million individuals throughout the island have been affected by Cyclone Dithwa. A complete of 6,164 homes have been totally broken and 112,110 homes partially broken. As of 14 December 2025, 72,911 individuals are residing in 796 secure shelters. In depth discussions have been held on the continued programmes to offer reduction, facilitate resettlement and restore livelihoods to normalize every day life.
Below the Authorities’s programme to determine a everlasting answer to guard the Central Highlands, the President said that 15,000 homes presently situated in high-risk zones have been recognized. He additional famous that the Authorities expects to finish the development of 8,000 homes for these affected households by the top of 2026.
The assembly additionally addressed points associated to the disbursement of the Rs. 25,000 allowance supplied by the Authorities for cleansing flood-affected homes. The President instructed officers to resolve the recognized points and full the fee of the related funds inside this week.
Particular consideration was paid to challenges in information assortment and updating. Each the President and the Chief of the Opposition emphasised the necessity for a structured and systematic course of. The need of a authorized framework to assist information assortment and updating was additionally mentioned, with the President stressing the significance of figuring out sensible options to this situation throughout the subsequent three years.
Referring to the floods in 2016, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma revealed that the Authorities had paid Rs. 7.51 billion to affected residents as compensation for damages, whereas reinsurance recoveries amounted to solely Rs. 1.42 billion, leading to a web lack of Rs. 5.79 billion to the State, as recognized by the Ministry of Finance.
The President emphasised that if such an insurance coverage scheme is to be continued, it have to be structured in a fashion that’s financially viable for the Authorities whereas guaranteeing most safety for beneficiaries. He additional burdened that any resolution to reintroduce the scheme must be made solely after acquiring skilled recommendation and implementing the required essential reforms.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Chief of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Overseas Affairs, Overseas Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Okay. D. Lalkantha, Minister of Well being and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Public Safety and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Native Authorities A. H. M. H. Abhayaratne, Minister of Housing, Building and Water Provide Susil Ranasinghe, Minister of Power Eng. Kumara Jayakody, Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Ratnayake, Minister of Rural Growth, Social Safety and Group Empowerment Upali Pannilage, Minister of Justice and Nationwide Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Sources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Growth Sunil Handunnetti, Deputy Minister of Defence, Main Basic Aruna Jayasekara(Retd), Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusuf, Governor of the North Western Province Tissa Warnasuriya, Governor of the Central Province Prof. S. B. S. Abeykoon, Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Province Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Governor of the Jap Province Jayantha Lal Chandrasekara, Governor of the North Central Province Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri, Governor of the Northern Province Nagalingam Vethanayahan and Governor of the Uva Province Kapila Jayasekara, have been amongst these current.
Additionally in attendance have been Opposition Members of Parliament S. M. Marikkar, B. Ariyawansa, Pathmanathan Sathyalingam, Anuradha Jayaratne and Udumalebbe, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Commissioner Basic of Important Providers and Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Group Infrastructure Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Native Authorities S. Aloka Bandara, Director Basic of the Division of Meteorology A. Okay. Karunanayake, Director Basic of the Catastrophe Administration Centre, Main Basic Sampath Kotuwegoda, together with the Commanders of the Tri-Forces, heads of the safety forces and senior authorities officers.
