President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed public representatives from affected and vulnerable districts to act swiftly to prevent loss of life and provide relief to people affected by heavy rainfall expected to intensify over the next two days.
The President issued these instructions during a special discussion held at the Parliament premises this morning (27) to review the emergency disaster situation and relief measures resulting from adverse weather conditions.
He directed MPs to visit their districts to assess the situation and urged both ruling party and opposition MPs to convene District Coordination Committees and Regional Development Committees. These committees are tasked with identifying risks, assessing potential future disasters, and intervening promptly to provide protection and relief to affected communities.
Due to ongoing budget debates and parliamentary business, MPs were initially unable to travel to their districts. It was decided to discuss further coordination at the party leaders’ meeting scheduled for 2:00 PM today.
The discussion focused on the safety and rescue operations for affected people, as well as the continuous provision of relief services, including health care. Special attention was also given to conducting the Advanced Level Examinations and ensuring the continuity of educational activities.
President Dissanayake emphasized the importance of providing cooked food and dry rations to those in relief camps, people trapped in their homes, and those staying with relatives due to the disaster. He also highlighted the need for compensation mechanisms for destroyed houses and damaged cultivated lands.
Additional focus was placed on safeguarding the irrigation system, highway infrastructure, and landslide-prone areas. The President instructed the Directors General of the Mahaweli and Irrigation Departments to prepare advance plans, closely monitor meteorological data, and manage irrigation systems to mitigate disaster impacts during heavy rains.
The meeting included party and opposition members who shared district-level assessments, forming the basis for the decisions outlined above.
Participants included Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Bimal Ratnayake, ministers representing affected districts, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, senior security force commanders, and representatives from the Disaster Management Center and National Disaster Relief Service Centers.
