Keep every section vigilant to face any disaster condition – President directs
President Maithripala Sirisena instructed officials to keep every section vigilant to be able to face any emergency disaster caused by the prevailing adverse weather condition.
He also directed to increase the allowance of Rs. 150 which is given to a person who is displaced by the flood and earth slips, to Rs. 225.
He was giving these directions at a special meeting held yesterday (May 16) at the Presidential Secretariat to provide relief to the victims of the prevailing adverse weather condition.
The President pointed out that the task of the tri-forces and police in providing relief to aggrieved people by the flood, earth slips and cyclones island wide, is very important. He instructed the security forces to act immediately in such disasters.
According to the discussed matters the Secretary to the President and other relevant officials will be available to contact regarding required instructions.
The attention was drawn to launch a proper disaster management program to prevent any such condition in the future.
President Sirisena directed the Building Research Department to initiate a rapid program to make the people knowledgeable about identifying of the vulnerable places that would face earth slips. He also advised the Meteorology Department to raise the awareness among the people about the disasters would be arisen due to adverse weather conditions.
It is reported that 1, 28, 428 people of 31, 062 families in eleven districts including Gampaha, Colombo, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya have been displaced by this evening. The President also instructed every relevant section to expedite the relief work which is being carried out continuously at the moment.
Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon, Secretaries to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defense, Commanders of Tri-Forces and Security Chiefs, Senior Officers of the Ministry of Disaster Management, Building Research Department and the Meteorology Department, district officers and senior government officials participated in this discussion.
(President’s Media Division)
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The problem is in Sri Lanka much focused on Disaster Response than Disaster Preparedness. Even disaster responses are taking place in an ad-hoc scenario. As the HE the president correctly said in this type of emergencies government has to invite the military for assistance. Hope there will be a proper civil-military coordination with the civil society with UNOCHA and organizations such as ICRC .