Sri Lanka launches post-disaster recovery planning after Cyclone Ditwah

Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), chaired a meeting on the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) on February 6, 2026, at the Ministry of Defence, with the participation of senior officials representing key stakeholder institutions.

The PDNA process is being carried out by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in collaboration with the Department of National Planning (NPD) and national and international development partners. It involves the systematic collection, analysis and evaluation of data on physical damage, economic losses and social impacts across affected sectors, according to an agreed timeline.

The meeting was held to raise awareness and present preliminary PDNA findings on the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread damage to lives, livelihoods, infrastructure and essential services in several parts of the country. Following the completion of immediate relief operations, the PDNA process has commenced to support recovery, rehabilitation and long-term rebuilding efforts.

Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Minister said the PDNA is being conducted to develop a strong recovery framework aligned with the Presidential Task Force on “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme. He noted that the Task Force consists of eight subcommittees, with the PDNA committee serving as the lead body overseeing the others under his chairmanship.

Participants discussed the way forward to achieve agreed targets within the designated timeframe. Key areas included preliminary damage and loss estimates, recovery needs, support from development partners and coordination challenges.

The meeting concluded with a call for continued inter-agency cooperation to strengthen the PDNA process and support the development of a risk-informed, resilient and sustainable national recovery plan.

The meeting was attended by the Defence Secretary, Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, and representatives from the European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, National Planning Department and senior officials from line ministries.